The first group of white South Africans granted refugee status under a U.S. programme introduced by President Donald Trump has departed from Johannesburg to the United States.
A total of 49 individuals boarded a charter flight on Sunday night at OR Tambo International Airport after being cleared by South African authorities. According to Collen Msibi, spokesperson for South Africa’s Department of Transport, the passengers underwent vetting to ensure none had pending criminal issues. The group is enroute to Washington Dulles International Airport and will later continue to Texas, where they are expected to be resettled.
The policy offers priority asylum to white South Africans, particularly Afrikaners, whom Trump describe as “victims of unjust racial discrimination.” The move draws sharp criticism for its racial undertones, especially at a time when the Trump administration has placed heavy restrictions on refugees from majority non-white countries.
Though the refugee intake has otherwise remained limited under ongoing Trump-era frameworks, this particular programme has been fast-tracked. Critics say it reflects ideological bias rather than humanitarian necessity.
In South Africa, the policy has stirred outrage and ridicule. Authorities argue that while racial tensions persist—especially around land redistribution and employment—white South Africans remain the most economically privileged group. Data from the Review of Political Economy shows that whites continue to own three-quarters of private land and command around 20 times more wealth than the Black majority.
Nevertheless, claims of racial discrimination against whites have gained traction in far-right online spaces globally and have been echoed by Trump allies, including South African-born tech billionaire Elon Musk.
Katia Beeden, a life coach and campaigner for the refugee initiative, said the resettlement is a “lifeline” for many Afrikaner families who feel unsafe or marginalised in post-apartheid South Africa. “This isn’t just about wealth or statistics. It’s about fear, isolation, and survival,” she told the media in April.
U.S. journalists were not permitted access to the group during their departure, and the White House has yet to formally comment on the long-term scope of the refugee programme.
