On Monday, 59 South Africans came to the United States as part of a refugee program established by President Donald Trump that provided shelter to what Washington calls racial discrimination against South Africans.
Earlier this year, the Trump administration proposed to relocate the Afrikaans, descendants of South African European colonial settlers, noting that they face harassment and violence from their country. At the same time, he freezes aid from African countries.
When the group arrived at Dulles International Airport near Washington, DC, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau told them: “I hope everyone knows that you are very welcome here and we respect what you have to deal with in the past few years.
“We respect the long traditions of your people and the achievements you have achieved over the years,” he said.
At a press conference on Monday, the claim that Trump has suffered systemic violence since the end of apartheid or white minority rule in South Africa was doubled.
The Afrikaan community was descended from predominantly Dutch settlers who established apartheid in 1948. Under apartheid, whites could seize land and resources from the black population, who were demoted to “Bantastans” or overcrowded towns.
Despite the end of 1994 - when the African National Congress won the first democratic election for racial inclusiveness in South Africa, most commentators agreed that racism persisted, and many blacks remained disproportionately lacking access to land, resources and opportunities.
In January, President Cyril Ramaphosa proposed a new law to try to address land ownership differences that made three-quarters of South Africa’s private land in the hands of white minorities – making land acquisition easier in the state.
Ramaphosa insists that the law does not equate to confiscation of land, but creates a framework for fair redistribution by allowing authorities to only in exceptional circumstances (such as when waived the area) without compensation.
Shortly after the introduction of the Expropriation Act, Trump wrote in his Truth Society narrative: “South Africa is confiscating land, which is very bad for people of some classes… The United States will not represent it, we will act.”
Washington said it agreed to grant refugee status to Africa after the introduction of the law.
Trump also reigns with the African nation’s important position in the International Court of Justice cases, accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.
"This is a genocide that happened," Trump told White House reporters. This claim has attracted criticism from South African officials and international media.
Trump’s claims echo the belief of white nationalists that South Africa’s legislation aimed at correcting segregation is actually discriminatory in the Africa Dutch community.
Right-wing groups such as Afriforum Hall, have been embracing a narrative that Afriforum is at an existential threat.
Elon Musk is a South African-born tech billionaire and a close ally of Trump, and is considered by many to be an ally of the Africa Dutch.
He repeatedly angrily yelled at X against his claims of unfair treatment of white South Africans - even claiming that "white genocide" had occurred.
Still, white people in South Africa still own most of the country’s private land, and their wealth on average is about 20 times higher than blacks. In South African companies, whites account for 62% of the highest management positions, while 17% of leadership positions are held by black managers.
Even the statistics provided by the Afriforum and Transvaal Agricultural Alliance (a group of white farmers) show that the total number of farmers dies every year, with about 60 people in all races. This is a country that sees 19,000 murders a year.
Some young Afrikaners have entered social media to mock the shelter and posted imitation videos that highlight the privileges whites enjoy in South Africa today.
In March, the South African government called Trump's claim that the Afrikaans face persecution "completely wrong" and pointed out that they are still the richest and most economically privileged groups.
“We think the U.S. government has encountered the wrong ending here, but we will continue to talk to them,” President Ramaphosa said on Monday at the African CEO forum in Abidjan on the Ivory Coast.
Ramaphosa said he had spoken with Trump about the issue.
The South African president said the far-right Afrikaans seeking refugee status were “fringe groups”, adding that they were “reversal and anti-change (and) and would actually prefer South Africa to go to apartheid policy.
Ramaphosa also revealed that he is about to meet Trump on this issue.
Tensions between the Trump administration and the South African government are high, and the United States expelled the South African ambassador in March due to criticism of Trump.
The Trump administration also contradicts Pretoria's important position in the International Court of Justice case against Israel, which was charged with genocide in Gaza.
Another major flash point is the sudden pause of US aid funds in January and the demolition of US Agency for International Development in South Africa. This has particularly affected the president's emergency plan for AIDS relief Pepfar program.
In 2023 alone, South Africa received approximately US$460 million in PEPFAR funding, accounting for nearly 18% of the country's total HIV budget. The frozen funds jeopardize efforts to fight one of the world's worst HIV epidemics.
There is no escape from trade diplomacy. The proposed 30% tariff rate, South Africa was the worst hit by Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs on April 2, which had a disproportionate impact on some African countries. Only five other countries face steeper trade compared to South Africa.
Despite a 90-day pause approved before the tariffs were implemented, the threat of higher trade taxation (especially on car exports) has caused deep anxiety in Pretoria.
Yesterday, dozens of Afrikaans entered the United States yesterday as the Trump administration blocked almost all other refugees’ enrollment and tended to “invade” immigration in poor countries.
In his speech, Washington, DC Al Jazeera correspondent Patty Culhane said the Trump administration “has prioritized bringing these people (white South Africans) into the United States.”
Meanwhile, people fleeing widespread violence and persecution in countries like Haiti and Afghanistan face closed doors.