A second group of white South Africans has arrived in the United States under a refugee resettlement initiative launched during former President Donald Trump’s administration, U.S. officials and advocacy groups confirmed Monday.
Nine individuals, including several families, landed in Atlanta last week on a commercial flight, according to Jaco Kleynhans, head of international liaison for the Solidarity Movement—a South African organization representing the country’s white Afrikaner minority.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in South Africa confirmed the arrival, stating, “Refugees continue to arrive in the United States from South Africa on commercial flights as part of the Afrikaner resettlement program’s ongoing operations.”
This follows the arrival of an earlier group of 59 white South Africans at Dulles International Airport in Virginia last month. That group traveled on a chartered flight as part of the program, which was publicly announced by then-President Trump in February. The initiative was introduced alongside the indefinite suspension of several other U.S. refugee programs, prompting widespread debate.
The Trump administration justified the policy by asserting that white South Africans, particularly Afrikaners, face racially motivated violence and persecution under South Africa’s Black-led government—a claim strongly rejected by the South African government, which has called the allegations misleading and inaccurate.
Human rights organizations and international watchdogs have not found evidence of widespread or state-sanctioned persecution targeting white South Africans.
According to U.S. Embassy guidelines published last month, applicants for the program must identify as members of a racial minority in South Africa and must demonstrate a history of past persecution or a credible fear of future harm.
The program has drawn criticism from rights advocates and immigration experts, who argue that it prioritizes one racial group under the refugee system and raises concerns about racial bias in U.S. immigration policy.
Afrikaners—descendants of mainly Dutch and French colonial settlers—make up approximately 2.7 million of South Africa’s 62 million people. The broader white population, including those of British or other European descent, numbers around 4.5 million, while over 80% of the population is Black.
The U.S. Embassy in South Africa said it continues to review inquiries from individuals expressing interest in resettlement and is contacting eligible applicants for interviews and processing.
As the program expands, it remains a flashpoint in debates over U.S. refugee policy, racial equity, and the politicization of asylum.
