The first group of white South Africans granted refugee status under a program introduced by U.S. President Donald Trump departed from Johannesburg’s main international airport on Sunday.
- The first group of white South African farmers was granted refugee status under a U.S. program initiated by President Trump.
- The farmers departed Johannesburg’s international airport, heading towards Dulles Airport in Washington, D.C. before traveling to Texas.
- This relocation follows tensions between the U.S. and South African governments over South Africa’s land reform policy.
South African transport department spokesperson Collen Msibi told Reuters that 49 passengers had been cleared.
Msibi said the group was scheduled to fly to Dulles Airport, just outside Washington, D.C., before continuing to Texas. As of 8:30 p.m. (1830 GMT), they had boarded the plane but had not yet departed.
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The relocation of white South African farmers, now classified as refugees, follows rising tensions between the Trump administration and the South African government over its land reform policy, which aims to redistribute land without compensation.
South Africa land reform
According to the South African government, land reform policies aim to address historical injustices by redistributing land from white to Black citizens.
However, some white farmers claim they are being targeted and persecuted, leading to concerns about their safety and livelihoods.
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The South African government has repeatedly denied the existence of a state-sanctioned campaign against white farmers and has invited independent investigations to verify farm-related violence statistics.
Meanwhile, critics in the U.S. argue that the recent move contrasts with Trump’s broader policy of restricting refugee admissions from Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East, regions where displacement and persecution are more widespread and well-documented.
Typically, the refugee process can take years, but it took just three months from the time President Trump signed the executive order granting refugee status to Afrikaners for the first group to begin their journey to the United States.
