On February 7, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order titled “Addressing Egregious Actions of the Republic of South Africa” in response to South Africa’s recently enacted Expropriation Act 13 of 2024. This Expropriation Act purportedly enables the South African Government to seize ethnic minority Afrikaner’s agricultural property. President Trump said this Executive Order is in response not only to South Africa’s new land law but also because of South Africa’s international court case accusing Israel of genocide.
In addition to cutting off funding to South Africa, this Executive Order empowers the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security to prioritize humanitarian relief including admission and resettlement through the United States Refugee Admission Program of “Afrikaners” in South Africa “who are victims of unjust racial discrimination”. Such plan must be submitted to the President and Homeland Security Advisor.
The Executive order specifically states, “the United States shall promote the resettlement of Afrikaner refugees escaping government-sponsored race-based discrimination, including racially discriminatory property confiscation”. The White House said Washington will also formulate a plan to resettle South African farmers and their families as refugees.
It is unclear exactly who is included in the term “Afrikaners”. It is also unclear when and how that plan would be enacted, since refugee arrivals were brought to a halt by an unrelated executive order signed by President Trump on January 20, 2025. It is also unclear what form of humanitarian relief will be provided to "Afrikaners" and when this will occur.
The U.S. refugee program protects people fleeing persecution based on their race, religion, political views and other factors. In most cases, the United Nations refers refugees to the United States. Typically, refugees spend several years in third countries undergoing interviews, as well as security and medical checks, before being allowed into the United States.
We will update you as more information becomes available on exactly what type of humanitarian relief will become available to “Afrikaners” and when. Until such time as the details of an actual plan are presented to the President, it is important that South Africans do not make plans to move to the United States unless you have one of the traditional visa options available to you.
The full text of the order may be viewed at Addressing Egregious Actions of The Republic of South Africa – The White House
UPDATED INFORMATION AVAILABLE HERE
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