USCIS Rejects White South African Refugee Applications

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has begun rejecting dozens of applications from white South Africans seeking refugee status. These applicants are part of a resettlement program established by Donald Trump in February 2025, which prioritizes Afrikaners based on claims of racial persecution and white genocide in South Africa.

Since May 2025, the program has admitted over 13,000 people while simultaneously shutting down refugee programs for other groups. However, recent rejections are final and cannot be appealed, leaving some applicants who had already sold their possessions in limbo. Freedom of Information Act requests indicate that denials are based on administrative errors or criminal histories, including allegations of torture and marijuana convictions.

The South African government has previously rebutted claims of targeted white genocide, stating that official crime data does not show white people experiencing crime at higher rates than other groups.