The Trump administration is set to welcome the first group of white South Africans classified as refugees into the United States. President Donald Trump, in a move to resettle “Afrikaners” and their families, suspended refugee admissions from most nations upon taking office but established a plan for this specific group through a February executive order. Mainly of Dutch descent, Afrikaners have been subject to what the administration deems as government-sponsored race-based discrimination in South Africa, leading to the decision to offer them refuge in the U.S.

Reports indicate that a group of 54 Afrikaners were scheduled to depart from Johannesburg, with another group of 60 expected to arrive in Washington on a State Department plane. While the State Department has refrained from confirming the exact numbers or arrival dates, it has acknowledged the ongoing processing of applications from individuals expressing interest in relocating to the U.S. The embassy in Pretoria has been conducting interviews and processing these applications, with a focus on prioritizing Afrikaners viewed as victims of unjust racial discrimination in South Africa.

This development underscores the administration’s commitment to addressing alleged discrimination faced by Afrikaners and marks a significant step in the resettlement of this group in the United States.