Why is Trump administration accepting White South African refugees to US again? Here's what we know

The Trump administration plans to admit 17,500 refugees in FY2027, primarily Afrikaners from South Africa. It says they face racial discrimination and persecution, while South Africa disputes claims of systematic persecution or genocide against the group.

The Trump administration plans to admit up to 17,500 refugees in the US in fiscal year 2027, with the vast majority expected to be Afrikaners from South Africa, CBS News reported.

The State Department informed Congress of the proposed refugee allocation in a notice sent on Tuesday. It is a departure from the broader US refugee resettlement programme, which has been largely shut down for people fleeing persecution and conflict in other parts of the world under President Donald Trump.

The Trump administration says Afrikaners, the predominantly white ethnic minority descended largely from European settlers, face racial discrimination and persecution in post-apartheid South Africa.

In its notice to Congress, the State Department said Afrikaners face the seizure of agricultural property without compensation, government policies affecting employment, education and business, as well as rhetoric that it said was contributing to disproportionate violence against racial minorities.

The administration has also cited what Trump has described as a "genocide" of white South Africans. Trump raised the issue during a tense Oval Office meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa last year, showing him a video highlighting killings of farmers.

South African authorities have strongly rejected claims that Afrikaners face genocide or systematic persecution. CBS News also reported that a "60 Minutes" report featured Afrikaners who rejected the genocide claim and said farm killings were part of a wider crime problem affecting people of different races.

How did Afrikaners get an exemption?

The Trump administration has effectively restricted refugee admissions from most parts of the world while creating an exception for Afrikaners.

CNN reported that the administration increased the refugee cap for South Africans earlier this year to 17,500 from a limit of 7,500 for all refugees, using an emergency determination submitted to Congress.

The latest State Department notice says the 17,500 refugee places for fiscal year 2027 will "primarily" go to Afrikaners. The new fiscal year begins in October.

The administration has already resettled thousands of Afrikaners in the US over the past year and a half, while refugee advocates have argued that prioritising the group has come at the expense of other vulnerable populations worldwide.

What does the US say about the cost?

The planned resettlement programme is expected to cost the US government about $500 million, according to the State Department notice cited by CBS News.

The notice also said the administration expects Afrikaners to fully assimilate into the US while preserving taxpayer resources for American citizens.

It added that the US does not anticipate other countries resettling Afrikaners.

What has the policy triggered?

The decision to prioritise Afrikaners has altered the traditional focus of the US refugee programme, which has historically provided resettlement opportunities to people fleeing war, persecution and other dangers around the world.

Refugee advocates have criticised the administration's focus on a single group, arguing that vulnerable people elsewhere have effectively been excluded.

The policy has also created diplomatic tensions with South Africa. Last week, the US imposed sanctions on South African officials whom it accused of discriminating against Afrikaners.

CNN reported that the resettlement programme has also led to diplomatic disputes, the opening of a processing site in South Africa and unusual requests from applicants. More than a dozen people familiar with the programme told CNN that it has produced high denial rates, partly because some applicants had criminal records.

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