In a controversial move, the Trump administration has granted refugee status to dozens of white South Africans citing discrimination, allowing them to leave Johannesburg for the U.S., while largely cutting refugee admissions from other troubled regions.
White South Africans Granted Refugee Status Depart for the U.S. Under Trump Administration
White South Africans Granted Refugee Status Depart for the U.S. Under Trump Administration
A U.S.-funded charter flight carries Afrikaners claiming discrimination, marking a significant shift in refugee policy amidst drastic cuts to others.
A charter flight funded by the U.S. government departed from Johannesburg on Sunday, transporting a group of white South Africans who assert that they have faced discrimination in their homeland. This flight is particularly notable as it coincides with the Trump administration's strict limitations on refugee admissions, which primarily affects those fleeing tumultuous conditions in countries such as Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Afrikaners, a historically white ethnic group linked with South Africa's apartheid regime, claim to have been subjected to violence and systemic job discrimination. The expedited refugee process—taking only three months since the signing of an executive order designed to confer refugee status—stands in sharp contrast to the far longer timelines typically associated with such applications.
Families gathered at O.R. Tambo International Airport, laden with luggage and accompanied by children, displayed reluctance to engage with reporters, adhering to instructions from the U.S. Embassy. This situation underscores the broader implications of the Trump administration's policies which favor certain demographic groups in the arena of refugee status while excluding many others facing dire humanitarian crises.
