South African asylum seekers have been newly waiting for you to listen to the welcome statements of US government officials in hangar at Dulles International Airport in Washington 12 May 2025 in Dulles, Virginia. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
On May 12, 49 White Afrikans landed at Washington Dulles Airport – it made them the first group relocated as part of the new Trump Administration initiative. American officials greeted them as the recipient of the new Program of President Donald Trump.
Mr. Trump approved the demands of the Afrikaner community to the “white genocide” and the endangered “Afrikaner” identity. He then offered them asylum by quick tracking of their applications. He quoted “unfair racial discrimination” to prevent urgency from moving.
New Land Reform Act
The White Afrikans have expressed a growing indignation since the adoption of the new land reform Act in January 2025. This law allows the government to entertain the privately owned land without compensation. This is only if it is “fair and fair and in the public interest”.
The aim of the law is to remedy the historically disproportionate land ownership. The black African population includes approximately 80% of 63 million populations in South Africa. Yet only 4% of the total land. More than 72% of the soil is under white, although only 7% of the total population.
The reform caused the will between the segments of the African community, which described it as a systemic racial persecution. Many claim threats for their lives and land. According to the new act, however, no soil was confiscated or formally taken over. Yet existing crime patterns are used to display a picture of targeted killing. These claims have not been examined, but Trump’s government is publicly handed over.
An American refugee law
The United States Refugee Act limits the usability of the refugee condition. They must prove justified fear of persecution on the basis of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a specific social group. Neither the US law nor the 1951 UN refugee Convention does not make concessions for economic uncertainty or crime throughout the country. In this number, the choice of refugee status does not meet the legal requirements. The international refugee law is also concerned about the voluntary return to the home country. In this case, many refugees intend to return home for holidays and take business.
There are also irregularities in a wider narrative.
There is a fundamental problem in awarding the refugee status to white “Africans” as a group. It is not a homogeneous unit as it exists today. Historically, Africaners are primary descendants of Boers (Dutch colonizers). Today, however, Afrikans form people from many different colonization countries. They did not get out of their home country’s identity and created this coalition of new races and cultures.
Even the African language is not the only reservation of Boer Community. It is a language created from Dutch, Khoisan, Malay and many of the 12 official languages of the country. With time and interdental mixing, this resolution further blurred. Currently, 60% or more Afrikaneci -speaking people are German.
Popular misconceptions
In the middle of that misinformation, it is that white Afrikaners are killed for their racial identity. Is there a crime epidemic in a country? Yes. But it’s not aimed at white. South Africa has one of the highest in crime per capita in the world (45 murders for every 1.00,000 people). Yet only 0.3 % of these murders are killing a farm or killing a farm. In 2022 there were only 50 out of 23 000 murders related to the farm.
Although the South African government does not disclose data on the crime of racially segregated, the police state that the victims of rural crimes are mostly black. There is a factual basis to support the argument of “white smoothing”. National crime affects all. Statistically, the white South Africans are less likely to be murdered than a black South African.
The lack of data that supports this step by the US government is just the beginning. Looking in a larger context, the refugees of the Africaner do not perform a good reason for asylum. There are no fear of state excesses under any persecution.
Shift in the US
The decision to grant asylum to the White Africans comes on the heels of Trump’s administration and stops further acceptance of refugees. Entry from war countries, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DC), Myanmar, Afghanistan and Palestine, was suspended until further warning. People from these countries are better placed legally to look for asylum, yet much is denied. In January, Trump’s Administration suspended the American refugee reception program (Usrap). This stops the processing of refugees in their footsteps. Every 90 days the Ministry of Internal Security submits to the US President. If applications for refugees are “aligned” with the interests of the US, they will move forward. As a result, applications are considered by case.
In February, Mr. Trump signed a powerful command accelerating the application of white Africans. Their relocation, within three months, sits uncomfortably in the face of a wider pause in income. Meanwhile, for months, there are 1 20,000 refugees, some of them for years. They underwent compulsory medical and security screening and checking. Thousands in refugee camps around the world are waiting for the recommendations of UN refugee agencies. Refugees on the southern border of the US are generally excluded asylum application.
Moving
Elon Musk’s conspiracy theories gain traction due to his South African roots. Concerns are caused by Julius Malema, a leader of a distant left economic warrior (EFF). He repeatedly sings “Kill the Boer”, an anti-apartheid song that increases the feeling of victimization. The courts did not apply this song as hateful manifestations or incitement to violence. For the time being, Afrikans in the US will settle in countries such as New York, Idaho, Iowa and North Carolina.
(Manaswini Vijayakumar is a trainee in “Hind”)
Published – 6 June 2025 05:30
