The United States is accelerating refugee admissions for white South Africans, aiming to process up to 4,500 applications monthly under a program launched in May 2025. This effort, outlined in a State Department document dated January 27, 2026, includes installing temporary trailers at the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria to handle the surge. The move starkly contrasts with former President Donald Trump’s global refugee cap of 7,500 for fiscal year 2026, set after his return to office in 2025.
As of January 31, approximately 2,000 white South Africans—primarily of Afrikaner descent—have entered the U.S. under the program, which prioritizes claims of violent persecution. However, refugee travel has been paused in recent weeks, according to a U.S. official, even as over 67,000 individuals have expressed interest in relocating via the South African Chamber of Commerce in the U.S.
South Africa’s government has rejected allegations of systemic persecution, while advocacy groups question the program’s focus. The policy marks a rare exception to Trump’s broader immigration restrictions, which suspended most refugee admissions last year.
