Posted on 05/12/2025 8:26:33 PM PDT by Red Badger
Newly arrived South Africans listen to representatives from Homeland Security and the State Department deliver welcome statements in a hangar at Atlantic Aviation Dulles near Washington Dulles International Airport on May 12, 2025 in Dulles, Va.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
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The first group of White South African refugees arrived in the U.S. on Monday under President Trump's executive order mandating they be prioritized for resettlement — even as the broader refugee program remains largely on hold.
The 59 Afrikaners, descendants of mainly Dutch colonists, underwent expedited reviews that took months, were brought to the U.S. on a government-chartered flight, and were greeted at Dulles International Airport by federal officials — all unconventional steps for the refugee resettlement program, which can take years to process.
Families on Monday arrived at the airport with their luggage; children donned pajamas and carried small American flags and stuffed animals as their parents walked them through a private airplane hanger.
Troy Edgar, deputy Homeland Security secretary, and Christopher Landau, the deputy secretary of state, greeted the families, shaking hands and posing for photos.
"Welcome to America," Landau told the families. "I want you to know that you are really welcome here."
But their admission to the U.S. has drawn scrutiny from resettlement agencies in the U.S., who've have faced sharp budget, resource, and personnel cuts since Trump took office.
Among his first executive actions, Trump temporarily paused the refugee resettlement program. Various agencies including the State Department have also paused disbursing funding for critical services such as the home, job and school assistance the Afrikaners are poised to receive.
The pause sent the refugee resettlement agencies into turmoil as refugees already cleared to arrive in the U.S. received notice their flights had been cancelled.
Among those left in limbo were Afghans who worked with the U.S. military, a move that some Republicans have criticized. Judges have ordered the government to at least resume the refugee program for those who had already been approved to travel, but the administration is fighting the court order.
When asked whether the administration would reopen the broader refugee resettlement program, Landau told reporters it was "still an ongoing consideration."
"Some of the criteria are making sure that refugees did not pose any challenge to our national security and that they could be assimilated easily into our country," he said about the decision to let in Afrikaners.
Episcopal Church ends refugee partnership
The Episcopal Church on Monday announced it would terminate its partnership with the government to resettle refugees, citing moral opposition to resettling white Afrikaners.
Episcopal Migration Ministries said it had been notified by the federal government that it was expected to resettle some of the refugees.
"It has been painful to watch one group of refugees, selected in a highly unusual manner, receive preferential treatment over many others who have been waiting in refugee camps or dangerous conditions for years," wrote Most Rev. Sean Rowe, the presiding bishop of the church, adding that others including the Afghans and Christians fleeing persecution have been denied refuge.
Trump, his South African-born adviser Elon Musk, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have all been vocal about what they say is persecution Afrikaners — many of whom are farmers — face in South Africa.
"What's happening in South Africa fits the textbook definition of why the refugee program was created," Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller told reporters last week. "This is persecution based on a protected characteristic, in this case, race. This is race-based persecution."
Miller doubled down on the administration's efforts to limit the broader refugee program.
"The U.S. Refugee Program has been a catastrophic failure," he said of past administrations' application of the program. Trump's changes, he continued, are "an example of the president returning the refugee program to what it was intended to do."
More Afrikaners eligible for resettlement
On Monday, the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in South Africa published a notice about the refugee admissions program for "for Afrikaners and disfavored minorities in South Africa who are victims of unjust racial discrimination," indicating this cohort is the first of more to come.
"Today, the United States sends a clear message, in alignment with the administration's America First foreign policy agenda, that America will take action to protect victims of racial discrimination," State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement.
To be eligible for resettlement consideration individuals must be of South African nationality, be of Afrikaner ethnicity or a member of a racial minority in the country, and must be able to articulate a past experience of persecution or fear of future persecution.
One of the agencies assisting with resettlement is the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. They are providing services to 14 Afrikaners across Idaho, Iowa and North Carolina.
"We'll continue to do our part regardless of country of origin," Eskinder Negash, USCRI President and CEO, said in a statement to NPR. "We are hopeful that the arrival of this group of refugees indicates the government's intention to restart the U.S. refugee program and help other refugees in need of resettlement services."
—With assistance from Jack Jenkins of Religion News Service and NPR's Michele Kelemen.
No bias in that headline, none at all. NPR CANNOT DIE FAST ENOUGH.
Agreed. “Radically redrawn relocation program” meaning people actually marked for death.
After seeing the three states listed, all I can say is STUPID choices!
WHY?
Because there are pretty large amounts of now American citizens, who are Afrikaners in Texas and Oklahoma, so these people would at least have an already settled community in those states. And...BBQ is a very big deal in those states, which is somewhat similar to Afikaners' Braai.
Why does the U.S. have to absorb every refugee around the world?
The genocide that matters most is the one that is happening now.
Biden took in tens of millions of the scum of the earth, as well as many foreign TERRORISTS, spies, and the worst of the VERY worst of humanity...the Haitians.
These Afrikaners are NOT looking for freebes,they have one of THE best work ethics in the world, can speak, read, and write English, have many different skill sets, and WILL someday be GOP/CONSERVATIVE voters.
And YOU don't want them?
I bet that you aren't even aware of the fact that there was once quite a contingent of Afrikaners, who were/ARE American citizens on FR and were some of THE best,well educated, very CONSERVATIVE posters here.
In honor of the occasion, a song!
A favorite oldie of mine. Seldom heard anymore even on the oldies channels.
Master Jack. - Four Jacks and a Jill
South African Group from the’60’s.
Something from a different time and different place.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hyEw7yMj-bA
These Afrikaners are NOT looking for freebes,they have one of THE best work ethics in the world, can speak, read, and write English, have many different skill sets, and WILL someday be GOP/CONSERVATIVE voters.
First of all, do you actually have any proof of that? Second, you statement means you agree with Democrats. Democrats try to import immigrants into this country to vote for them. So, you agree with Democrats, you want to import people who will vote for your party?
And YOU don't want them?
That's a very glib, loaded question.
I bet that you aren't even aware of the fact that there was once quite a contingent of Afrikaners, who were/ARE American citizens on FR and were some of THE best,well educated, very CONSERVATIVE posters here.
That is true, but I've also met many Afrikaners who absolutely hate this country. I've also met half a dozen Palestinian Uber drivers who love this country, are conservative, and hate Hamas, etc. So should we import as many Palestinian refugees as we can? Actually, the most conservative ones I met are from West Africa and East Africa.
To hell with the Afghans. Way too many of them have already been brought in here.
The USA should not merely assist the ANC with its ethnic cleansing of South Africa.
Rather, call them out, cut all aid, sanction their worst marxist and violent elements (like Julius Malema) and help South Africans reclaim their country.
There are 68,000, THAT'S THOUSAND, NOT MILLIONS, of Afrikaners who have signed up for Trump's asylum offer. Will ALL of them get to come here? I DOUBT IT.
And blaming me for "sounding like the DEMS", when unlike them, I am actually stating a FACT, it patently ridiculous and in spades!
So here's a FACTUAL example, of a different ethnic group, who emigrated to America almost 150 years ago.......
The early Hungarian emigres to America came during GOP presidents. They LOVED this nation, and for that generation, once they became citizens, and for the children born here and their children's children, etc. THEY VOTED LOYALLY FOR THE GOP, for the vast majority.
Unlike other asylum seekers, from other nations, and the damned ILLEGAL ALIENS, the Afrikaners are well educated, are NOT looking to be "taken care of" forever, have many different very good skills, AND will assimilate easily.
There is NO PLACE else for them to go,nor could the vast majority of them get out of that nation, NOW, without Trump's offer.
They have been discriminated against, robbed, beaten, tortured, raped,and killed, constantly living in feat ( yes, even rich ones! ), for many decades and now face a genocide, the likes of which has not been seen in almost a century.
I get it, you don't like Afrikaners.
You and the rest of us are sick to our back teeth with the ILLEGAL ALIENS and the likes of the Haitain "asylum" seekers. But this is a whole different kettle of fish.
Whites in South Africa are experiencing racism way beyond what blacks experienced during apartheid.
Beautiful family. I’m glad they’re here.
NPR is full of bigots. Time to have funding pulled.
Ah, yes. The only South African song to make the charts in America. An anti-anthem heaping contempt upon the nation that had protected and provided opportunities for these ungrateful whelps.
Its also the bigots at CNN.
That is a total lie, unsupported by anything I said. I'm surprised you would say something so vile.
You claimed that the Afrikaners will all vote for Republicans etc. You did not give anything to back that up. Your personal friends can't stand in for a group, any more than anyone's friends can.
As you say, you know a lot of Afrikaners. That's great. But if you personally vouch for an entire group, you can't argue if someone else vouches for another group can you? So, where does it end?
I am not saying any country or victims of genocide are good or bad. But can we really let out personal affection make a decision like this? Because I think any group out there will have people who will vouch for them and say they will be the right kind of citizens. Do you understand me?
I can't remember which one of the leftist pervert "intellectuals" Derrida, Sartre or Foucault said that when a Black murders a White colonialist it's an "act of love," but that sentiment's a strong, ideological clue as to why leftist pigs around the world hate "Whiteness" with such a passion that they want all Whites wiped from the face of the earth.
A pox on all leftists. They hate good and love evil.
Somali's are worse because of Islam. In a recent example one of them who had a rape charge of a 16 year old girl mysteriously dismissed is trying to destroy the life of a Minnesota mother. She merely called him and a thiefing child words which are now considered TABOO.
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