67,000 White South Africans Want to Move to the U.S. Under Trump’s New Refugee Plan

The U.S. Embassy in South Africa confirmed it has received a list with more than 67,000 names of people interested in refugee resettlement in the United States, according to the Associated Press (AP). The surge comes after former President Donald Trump signed an executive order last month offering refugee protection to Afrikaners, a white minority group in South Africa.

The list was provided to the embassy by the South African Chamber of Commerce in the U.S., which said it was contacted by thousands of white South Africans after the program was announced. The chamber emphasized that the list does not represent formal applications, but shows how much interest the plan has generated.

Trump’s February 7 executive order cut U.S. aid to South Africa and accused its government of encouraging “disproportionate violence” against white landowners. The order specifically named Afrikaners, descendants of Dutch and French settlers, as victims of racial discrimination by South Africa’s Black-led government. It instructed U.S. officials to give them priority in refugee processing.

There are around 2.7 million Afrikaners in South Africa, which has a total population of 62 million.

South African officials say Trump’s claims are not supported by facts. Although a land reform law has been passed, the government says no land has been seized, despite Trump’s posts on Truth Social claiming otherwise.

The executive order also took aim at South Africa’s foreign policy, criticizing the country’s legal action against Israel at the United Nations and accusing its government of siding with Hamas and Iran. The U.S. has since expelled South Africa’s ambassador, citing anti-American behavior.

While critics view the move as politically charged and inconsistent with Trump’s past actions limiting refugee resettlement, supporters say it brings attention to a minority group they believe has been overlooked.

The policy is still in its early stages, and it’s unclear how many, if any, of the 67,000 individuals will actually be granted refugee status. For now, the embassy in Pretoria has confirmed receipt of the list, but has not released further details.

Source: Associated Press (AP)