The Trump administration proposed increasing the number of White Afrikaners from South Africa for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) from about 7,500 to 17,500 in response to “unforeseen developments in South Africa” creating “an emergency refugee situation,” according to a U.S. State Department plan sent to Congress.
Despite effectively closing the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) for most nationalities – reducing admissions from 125,000 before the second Trump administration to 7,500 – and canceling Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 1.5 million migrants, the Trump administration has exempted White South Africans from suffering the consequences of these policy changes.
“This escalating hostility heightens the risks to Afrikaners in South Africa, who are already subject to far-reaching government-sponsored race-based discrimination,” the State Department report states. “For these reasons, a revised ceiling of 17,500 is justified by grave humanitarian concerns and in the national interest as detailed in E.O. 14204 and will further the U.S. foreign policy interests described in that order.”
Claims of a "White Genocide"
Since the start of his second term in office, President Donald Trump has argued in favor of these concessions, claiming that white Afrikaners are racially targeted and face a “white genocide,” and that “White farmers are being brutally killed and their land confiscated.”
The South African government and officials have denied the claims of prosecuting the ethnic minority.
According to CNN, no evidence was found to back up the claims of a “genocide taking place” during an investigation conducted by the outlet.
Additionally, CBS News’ “60 Minutes” correspondents interviewed Afrikaners to validate the claims. According to the participants, murders on farms are believed to be part of a broader crime issue within the country that harms all residents, regardless of race.
The increased admission of 10,000 Afrikaners to the U.S. would cost around $100 million, according to the State Department proposal to Congress.
Afrikaners are descended from Dutch and French settlers and ruled South Africa for 46 years during apartheid.
