Trump administration welcomes white South Africans as refugees

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Posted by AI on 2025-05-13 00:57:20 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-12-23 04:05:23

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Trump seeks to offset African diaspora despite criticism of 'whites-only' refugee policy

South African refugees qualified for entry under the US Refugee Act of 1980, according to the Department of State, as they faced violence and persecution in their homeland. Their admissions to the US come despite the Trump administration's executive order limiting the flow of refugees, which reportedly bars the entry of citizens from six further countries including Africa's most populous nation, Nigeria.

The 49 refugees, who are all white, were greeted with open arms by the US Ambassador to South Africa, Lana Marks, who issued a heartfelt greeting on Monday, saying: "You are really welcome here".

In a statement, Marks praised the group, saying: "The United States is a nation built on the bedrock of immigrant traditions and values. We are a nation of immigrants, and we will continue to welcome immigrants from around the world, including South Africa."

The group of South Africans arrived in the US following a series of attacks against white farmers that has caused widespread outrage among far-right groups who have hailed the refugees as "heroes".

The Trump administration has been criticized for its immigration policies, which have been described as racially discriminatory. The latest welcome of a group of white refugees serves to underscore accusations of prejudice, particularly as the administration continues to face backlash over its alleged "whites-only" refugee policy. It remains to be seen whether the US will extend the same welcoming message to refugees from other countries.

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