A group of 49 Afrikaner refugees left South Africa on Sunday, May 11, 2025, and arrived in the United States on Monday, May 12, under a contentious U.S. refugee resettlement program initiated by President Donald Trump.
Their relocation followed a February executive order issued by Trump, which granted refugee status to Afrikaners, citing “unjust racial discrimination” and referencing the Expropriation Act of 2024.
The group landed at Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C., possibly aboard a chartered flight, although final flight clearances had remained unresolved just days before their departure.
They were welcomed by U.S. officials, including a deputy secretary of state. Resettlement plans placed them across several states, including Minnesota, Idaho, and Alabama. The Department of Health and Human Services began providing housing and integration assistance upon their arrival.
