As the influx of applications from Africans—a minority in South Africa—continues, it’s anticipated that “thousands of South African refugees might arrive in the US by the summer’s end.”
According to a US State Department official, there’s a push for the Trump administration to consider more than just a small number of 59 Africans. This group was recently welcomed in Washington, DC.
“We’re not speaking about just dozens or even hundreds; it could be thousands,” officials mentioned, although they didn’t provide a precise timeline. It was emphasized that there’s a large-scale expansion underway.
Noting a backlog of over 50,000 refugee status applications from Africans—who often face political and racial violence in their homeland—officials remarked that the numbers are expected to “keep rising.”
President Donald Trump welcomed the first few African refugees on May 12, criticizing media for its lack of coverage on what he termed “genocide” against white farmers in South Africa.
“It’s a genocide that the media seems reluctant to report on; it’s so tragic, especially with the farmers being killed,” Trump shared with reporters at the White House. “Whether they’re white or black doesn’t matter to me.”
He added, “Yet, white farmers are facing brutal killings and land confiscation, but the media doesn’t cover it. If the roles were reversed, it would be front-page news.”
State Department officials have indicated that conditions for all Africans granted refugee status in the US have involved claims of persecution.
“These are individuals suffering from racially motivated attacks on farms,” they explained.
In contrast, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has maintained that white individuals are not victims of persecution, as reported.
“They’re leaving because they can’t accept the changes occurring in our country as per our constitution,” Ramaphosa suggested following news about the first group of refugees.
Later, the president described the refugees as “co-disease,” implying they are fleeing.
Despite ongoing violence, Ramaphosa has supported the political chants such as “kill Boer,” saying they simply reflect “freedom of expression.”
