According to The South African, U.S. President Donald Trump granted refugee status to 49 white South Africans, known as Afrikaners, citing what he called a “genocide” against them in South Africa—a claim strongly rejected by South African officials. The group was welcomed in Virginia, despite Trump’s broader halt on refugee admissions. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and other leaders deny that white citizens are being persecuted, emphasizing that crime affects all races equally and that the Afrikaners do not meet international refugee criteria. Critics argue the move is politically motivated and tied to Trump’s anti-DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) stance rather than grounded in fact. Many believe the Afrikaners who left were driven by economic motives and discomfort with post-apartheid South Africa, where white citizens still hold significant wealth and land.
Poll Question: Do you think white Afrikaners should be granted refugee status in the U.S.?
