On February 7, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order titled “Addressing Egregious Actions of the Republic of South Africa” in response to South Africa’s recently enacted Expropriation Act 13 of 2024. This Expropriation Act purportedly enables the South African Government to seize ethnic minority Afrikaner’s agricultural property.
President Trump said this Executive Order is in response not only to South Africa’s new land law but also because of South Africa’s international court case accusing Israel of genocide. The full text of the order may be viewed at Addressing Egregious Actions of The Republic of South Africa – The White House
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said the nation won't be bullied. Ramaphosa made the remarks hours after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he won’t attend a Group of 20 summit in Johannesburg later this month, citing among his reasons South Africa’s efforts to address inequality and climate change. (Source: South African Presidency via Associated Press)
In addition to cutting off funding to South Africa, this Executive Order empowers the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security to prioritize humanitarian relief for certain South Africans including admission and resettlement through the United States Refugee Admission Program of “Afrikaners” in South Africa “who are victims of unjust racial discrimination”. Such plan must be submitted to the President and Homeland Security Advisor.
The Executive order specifically states, “the United States shall promote the resettlement of Afrikaner refugees escaping government-sponsored race-based discrimination, including racially discriminatory property confiscation”. The White House said Washington will also formulate a plan to resettle South African farmers and their families as refugees.
Michelle Gavin from Africa in Transition and Africa Program recently posted on the council on foreign relations website that the U.S.-South Africa relationship needs a rethink. But the Trump administration’s approach is only making a bad situation worse.
She continues to say - "So why has the Trump administration seized on South Africa in this way? It’s both a worrying sign of the quality of information that actually reaches the President, and an indication of the kind of bizarre policies that result from seeing the world through Elon Musk and MAGA-colored glasses.
The spectacle of the White House pledging support for white South African “refugees” while demonizing other asylum-seekers is as absurd as it is racist. Overt racism is not a great way to combat declining U.S. influence on the African continent. Neither are gratuitous attacks, like Secretary of State Marco Rubio feigning outrage at South Africa’s aim to focus the upcoming G20 Summit on “solidarity, equality, and sustainability.”
The first two pillars are standard fare for an African country invested in multilateralism, and the last speaks to efforts to address climate change—the same climate change that has seen American communities devastated by floods and fires. But for some reason, Secretary Rubio found it infuriating. Apparently, the United States demands an unsustainable world?
U.S. frustration with and skepticism of many aspects of South Africa’s foreign policy—particularly the ANC’s fondness for linking arms with U.S. adversaries and calling it “nonalignment”—is completely justified. Overreaction to their domestic political debate about land reform is not. President Trump is strengthening the hand of some of the most destructive and anti-American forces in South African society.
Dialing up the pressure on the current South African government with no clear strategy other than to make an example of the country begs the question of what the United States would prefer. The only politically viable alternatives to the current governing alliance in South Africa would be far more antagonistic to U.S. interests. In other words, tipping South Africa toward failure is likely to make the United States worse off, not better."
UPDATE: February 21th, 2025 -
SACCUSA Calls for Clarity on U.S. Refugee Policies and Process
The South African Chamber of Commerce in the USA (SACCUSA) continues to engage with U.S. authorities, pushing for clear guidelines on the evolving refugee policy landscape. More than ten days after President Trump’s Executive Order, there remains a lack of defined eligibility criteria and an established application process, leaving many individuals and businesses seeking clarity.
In response to inquiries, the U.S. Embassy in South Africa has confirmed that the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the primary authority responsible for making refugee determinations. While the embassy can facilitate communication, it does not hold decision-making power over individual refugee applications.
President Trump has tasked Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Christie Noem with ensuring that humanitarian relief efforts, including refugee admissions and resettlement under the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), align with legal and policy frameworks. Given that USCIS operates under the Department of Homeland Security, all procedural decisions regarding refugee applications will fall under their jurisdiction.
Refugee status is a form of protection that may be granted to people who meet the definition of refugee and who are of special humanitarian concern to the United States. Refugees are generally people outside of their country who are unable or unwilling to return home because they fear serious harm.
UPDATE: February 18th, 2025 -
On the 15th of February 2025 the Afrikaner community held a rally at the US Embassy in Pretoria South Africa. This rally was attended by more than 3000 people. At this rally they gave a memorandum to the United States Embassy in which they compiled all the evidence of farm murders against South Africans, as well as all racial laws against white South Africans, and also a chapter on the ideological history of the South African Communist Party-ANC government of South Africa.
UPDATE: February 10th, 2025 -
U.S. Embassy & Consulates in South Africa
By U.S. Mission South Africa
Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Addresses Human Rights Violations in South Africa
EXECUTIVE ORDER
ADDRESSING HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA: On Friday, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to address serious human rights violations occurring in South Africa.
As encapsulated in its recent land confiscation act to seize disfavored citizens’ property without compensation, the government of South Africa blatantly discriminates against ethnic minority descendants of settler groups.
As long as South Africa continues to support bad actors on the world stage and allows violent attacks on innocent disfavored minority farmers, the United States will stop aid and assistance to the country.
The United States will establish a plan to resettle disfavored minorities in South Africa discriminated against because of their race as refugees.
STANDING UP AGAINST INJUSTICE AND OPPRESSION: President Donald J. Trump is committed to holding South Africa accountable for its actions.
South Africa has taken positions against the United States and its allies.
Merely two months after the October 7th terrorist attacks on Israel, South Africa accused Israel, not Hamas, of genocide in the International Court of Justice.
South Africa also strengthened ties with Iran, which supports terrorism globally.
While championing terrorism and autocratic regimes abroad, South Africa has committed similar human rights violations at home. The recent Expropriation Act enables the government of South Africa to seize ethnic minority descendants of settler groups’ agricultural property without compensation.
The Expropriation Act follows countless government policies designed to dismantle equal opportunity in employment, education, and business, and hateful rhetoric and government actions fueling disproportionate violence against racially disfavored landowners.
Years ago, the South African government disbanded volunteer forces defending rural farmers, turning a blind eye to the ensuing farm attacks.
REAFFIRMING OUR COMMITMENT TO HUMAN RIGHTS: A commitment to human rights is central to President Trump’s America First agenda.
President Trump: “South Africa is confiscating land, and treating certain classes of people very badly. I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed!”
President Trump believes in sending a clear message to the world’s bad actors—and to their victims—by condemning human rights abuses in no uncertain terms.
UPDATE: February 12th, 2025 -
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The U.S. Embassy in South Africa provides email for Refugee enquiries and SACCUSA Directs All Public Inquiries on U.S. Refugee Status to U.S. Embassy in South Africa - pretoriaprminfo@state.gov
The South African Chamber of Commerce in the USA (SACCUSA) has engaged with the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Embassy in South Africa regarding the large number of public inquiries following President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order on February 7, 2025, which grants Afrikaners refugee status and facilitates their resettlement in the United States.
Following these discussions, SACCUSA has formally requested that all communication related to the Executive Order be handed over to the U.S. Embassy in South Africa. This transition ensures that the public receives accurate and official guidance from the appropriate U.S. government authorities.
Effective immediately, all further inquiries must be directed to the U.S. Embassy in South Africa to ensure that members of the public receive guidance directly from the U.S. government. SACCUSA strongly encourage all further inquiries regarding the Executive Order and refugee application process and refugee criteria and eligibility to be directed to:
U.S. Embassy in South Africa - pretoriaprminfo@state.gov
AFRIKANERS 'ARE GOING NOWHERE'
AfriForum, expressed appreciation for Trump's recognition of "injustice" against Afrikaners but regretted the withdrawal of aid.
"We did not and will not ask for sanctions against South Africa or that funds for vulnerable people be cut off by the U.S. Government," said Flip Buys, Chairperson of the Solidarity Movement of which AfriForum is a part.
"We believe that ordinary South Africans should not bear the cost of diplomatic disputes and of the ANC's policies."
Kallie Kriel, CEO of AfriForum, said if Afrikaners became refugees in the U.S., their cultural identity would be lost, a risk they would not take.
"We are indigenous to this country and we are going nowhere," he said.
UPDATE: February 14th, 2025 -
Orania, an Afrikaner-only town in South Africa, responds to U.S. President Donald Trump's order. While grateful for the offer, Orania residents, echoing AfriForum and Solidarity Movement's views, prefer that the assistance be directed towards recognition of Afrikaners in South Africa. Head of Orania Joost Strydom speaks to Newzroom Afrika's Aldrin Sampear.
SACCUSA (South African Chamber of Commerce in the USA) President Neil Diamond, had the opportunity to participate in several prime-time TV and radio interviews, engaging in critical discussions on US-South Africa trade relations. SACCUSA is committed to strengthening the economic ties between our nations and advocating for policies that support binational trade, investment, and economic growth.
Ensuring a stable and mutually beneficial relationship between South Africa and the USA is essential for businesses on both sides. SACCUSA will continue to champion these discussions, ensuring that South African businesses have a strong voice in key trade matters.
In the latest edition of the Sunday Show on BizNews, Neil de Beer, the President of the United Independent Movement, speaks about the “multitude of racial explosions” that has hit South Africa in the wake of Afrikaner farmers being offered refugee status in the US by President Donald Trump, who has also cut off aid to the country. “We have really this week…hit the lowest of the low in 30 years,” De Beer says.
He lists some of the “litany of small detonations on a string of pearls of a big dynamite bomb” from Trump: race-based laws, BEE, the BELA and EWC acts and the NHI. De Beer dissects the roles played by the African National Congress, AfriForum, and the Democratic Alliance - and says the shots the DA has been taking the past week, he has “never seen in my lifetime …in politics”.
Slamming the “compromised” Government of National Unity (GNU), De Beer charges: “…it seems that in the GNU, you'd rather be popular than take the bloody right decision for 60 million people”. He also gives his take on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s “unfortunate dud” SONA speech; lists those politicians hoping to succeed him, but warns: “…it’s a shocking shame that this country has run out of statesmen or stateswomen”. He concludes with this emotional plea: “I beg the leaders of this country to stop your absolute hogwash, to remember why you are there and to do anything necessary - even if it means that you've got to take the knee…but save this country…”
The legal definition of refugee as per section 101(a)(42) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) -
8 USC 1101(a) INA 101(a) (42) The term "refugee" means (A) any person who is outside any country of such person's nationality or, in the case of a person having no nationality, is outside any country in which such person last habitually resided, and who is unable or unwilling to return to, and is unable or unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of, that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion, or (B) in such special circumstances as the President after appropriate consultation (as defined in section 1157(e) of this title) may specify, any person who is within the country of such person's nationality or, in the case of a person having no nationality, within the country in which such person is habitually residing, and who is persecuted or who has a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. The term "refugee" does not include any person who ordered, incited, assisted, or otherwise participated in the persecution of any person on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. For purposes of determinations under this chapter, a person who has been forced to abort a pregnancy or to undergo involuntary sterilization, or who has been persecuted for failure or refusal to undergo such a procedure or for other resistance to a coercive population control program, shall be deemed to have been persecuted on account of political opinion, and a person who has a well founded fear that he or she will be forced to undergo such a procedure or subject to persecution for such failure, refusal, or resistance shall be deemed to have a well founded fear of persecution on account of political opinion.
The U.S. refugee program protects people fleeing persecution based on their race, religion, political views and other factors. In most cases, the United Nations refers refugees to the United States. I urge all South Africans to please do your research first and make an educated, well-informed decision before considering uprooting your family and taking on this life changing journey, if it does come to pass at all. This is definitely not a decision to be made lightly.
Here are some resources to consider -
My recent video talking to Steven Phyffer from Oorsee about the emotional impact of immigration -
The logistics of refugee resettlement are largely handled by ten domestic resettlement agencies, many of them faith-based organizations such as the Church World Service and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Representatives of these organizations meet and review the biographical data of the refugees selected by the State Department’s Refugee Support Centers abroad to determine where they should be resettled. You do not have any control over where you and your family end up living here in the United States in the beginning. These people make all the decisions for you and move you around as they see fit.
What a Refugee Process Could Look Like
Source - Versfeld Law
Step 1:
Obtain a Referral:
To apply for refugee status under the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), you must first receive a referral from one of the following:
The U.S. Embassy
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office closest to you
Step 2:
Prepare for Your Refugee Interview:
Once you receive a referral, you must prepare for an interview with a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Refugee Officer, a division of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Be prepared to explain details about your background, circumstances, and persecution in South Africa as someone who qualifies under a “Disfavored minority group.”
Step 3:
USCIS Refugee Determination:
A USCIS Refugee Officer will evaluate your application and supporting evidence to determine your eligibility for resettlement in the United States.
Documents Needed in Support of Your Application:
You must submit all required documents to support your refugee claim. These may include:
Unabridged Birth Certificate
Unabridged Marriage Certificate (if applicable)
Divorce Decree (if applicable)
Military Records (if applicable)
Police Clearance Certificate– For each country you have lived in for six months or longer since your 16th birthday
Certified Copies of Criminal Records (if applicable)
Evidence Supporting Your Refugee Claim:
- This may include documents proving past persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution due to race, nationality, political opinion, religion, or membership in a particular social group.
If Your Application is Approved:
You will be scheduled for an immigration medical examination. Bring a complete list of your vaccinations to avoid delays. You will be referred to a Refugee Resettlement Agency (RRA) in the U.S., which will assist with:
Finding housing
Employment assistance
Community integration
You must apply for Legal Permanent Residency (Green Card) within one year of receiving refugee status.
IMPORTANT:
Traveling back to South Africa may jeopardize your immigration status. Consult with an immigration attorney before making any travel decisions.
If Your Application is Denied:
USCIS Refugee Determination
You may request a review of the decision within 90 days of the denial. It is highly recommended to consult an immigration attorney for assistance in filing an appeal.
Important Notice:
You cannot claim refugee status from within the United States. The refugee process must be initiated while you are outside the U.S.
Karen-Lee Pollak from Pollak PLLC shares her thoughts about how the refugee program could look like -
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THERE IS NO PLAN IN PLACE YET AND WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT THIS PLAN WILL ENTAIL. THERE ARE MANY DETAILS THAT NEED TO BE EXPLAINED INCLUDING WHAT THE DEFINITION OF AN “AFRIKANER’ IS.
However, this Executive Order specifically uses the term “Refugee”. Therefore, it is important to distinguish between those seeking asylum and those seeking refugee status. The Executive order specifically states, “the United States shall promote the resettlement of Afrikaner refugees escaping government-sponsored race-based discrimination, including racially discriminatory property confiscation”. Asylees and refugees are individuals who have faced persecution or have a well-founded fear of persecution in their home countries based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.
The asylum process allows asylees to apply for protection after arriving in the United States, while refugees receive their status while still outside the U.S. By using the term “Refugee” we assume that this “Executive Order” will only apply to persons outside the United States seeking Refugee Status.
Again, while we do not know yet what this plan will entail, the standard process to apply for refugee status was as follows:
You typically need to receive a referral to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) before you can receive refugee status. U.S. embassies and specially trained international organizations work to refer refugee applicants. However, President Trump, on January 20, 2025, in an unrelated executive order suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (“USRAP”) indefinitely.
Typically, applicants work with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office closest to them. After receiving your referral, you’ll need to prepare for the refugee interview.
Usually, if you have received your referral or are exempt, you can begin completing your refugee application. If UNHCR refers your case to the United States, they will schedule an appointment for you at a Refugee Support Center (RSC). The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration oversees the operations of several RSCs.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), an agency of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), employs USCIS refugee officers. These refugee officers are the ones who determine if your refugee application will be approved or denied. They will interview you to determine whether to approve your refugee application.
Your RSC will help you gather your supporting documents and discuss the application process and requirements. They will also try to verify your identity and conduct security checks on you. The U.S. government requires security checks for all refugee applicants.
When interviewing with a USCIS refugee officer, be prepared to explain details about your life and persecution in your country of origin. You should have documents evidencing proof of your persecution or fear of persecution as well as unabridged birth and marriage certificates, divorce decrees, military records and certified copies of criminal records, if any as well as any other evidence that will assist you in being classified as a refugee. The USCIS officer will conduct background checks on you to make sure you don’t present a threat to the United States and to determine that your claims are legitimate.
What Happens After You Receive a Decision on Your Refugee Application?
Typically, If USRAP approves your refugee application, your RSC will schedule medical appointments for you and your family members to screen for public health risks. They will also screen you for physical or mental disorders and severe substance addictions.
If you pass the medical screening, your RSC will help prepare you to integrate into the United States and arrange your travel. They’ll also refer you to a Refugee Resettlement Agency (RRA) in the United States, which will help you settle into the country. The Department of Health and Human Services also assists incoming refugees. This entire process can take several months to several years.
If USCIS denied your application, you may request a review of the denial. You should submit the request to your RSC within 90 days of receiving your rejection. You must write the request in English and you can consult a lawyer to help.
Refugees are legally required to apply for permanent resident status one year after receiving their U.S. refugee status. Asylum seekers are not required to apply for U.S. green cards after a year of asylum status in the United States, but they may choose to do so.
It is important to know that if U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) grants you refugee or asylum status based on your claim of past persecution or a fear of future persecution in South Africa, you can jeopardize your immigration status in the United States by travelling back to South Africa. Although there are extraordinary cases, you should always speak to an immigration attorney before making a request for a Refugee Travel Document to travel back to your home country.
Again, it is unclear what the plan will be for Afrikaners to obtain refugee status in the United States but the process above was the typical refugee process currently in place for people seeking refugee status in the United States until President Trump’s January 20, 2025, executive order abolishing USRAP.
Pollak PLLC is an award-winning immigration law firm with offices in Dallas, Texas and Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals work legally in the United States under various types of nonimmigrant visas. In FY 2023, the United States granted more than 265,000 visas for high-skilled workers, known as H1B visas, and over 310,000 visas for temporary workers in agriculture and other industries, or H2A visas. H1B visas are capped at 85,000 per fiscal year, with exceptions for certain fields.
I will update you as more information becomes available on exactly what type of humanitarian relief will become available to “Afrikaners” and when, if at all. Until such time as the details of an actual plan are presented to the President, it is important that South Africans do not make plans to move to the United States unless you have one of the traditional visa options available to you.
More resources -
Pollak PLLC https://www.pollakimmigration.com/ is an award-winning immigration law firm with offices in Dallas, Texas and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. We may be able to help Afrikaners in South Africa who are victims of unjust racial discrimination take advantage of this Executive Order. Schedule a consultation now!
CFR’s World101 library breaks down the difference between asylum seekers, immigrants, and refugees.
This podcast series by NPR showcases stories of refugees adjusting to life in the United States.
This CFR Info Guide examines the global migrant crisis and the strains it places on the international refugee system.
Refugee resettlement is a crucial part of the United States’ migration strategy, Reva Dhingra argues for the Brookings Institution.
UPDATE: February 14th, 2025 -
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USCIS and State Department to Implement Refugee Resettlement Plan Following Presidential Executive Order
The recent executive order issued by the President of the United States directs the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to take steps toward prioritizing humanitarian relief for Afrikaners in South Africa who are victims of unjust racial discrimination. This directive includes potential admission and resettlement through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).
At this time, the full scope of the order remains unclear, and further clarification will be necessary to determine eligibility criteria, application processes, and implementation timelines.
Specifically, questions remain regarding:
Who qualifies under the term "Afrikaner" as used in the order?
What impact, if any, a reversal of South Africa’s land expropriation policies would have on the implementation of the refugee resettlement program.
What should South Africans in the US do to qualify for any related immigration relief under this new Order?
Key Information on U.S. Refugee Eligibility
According to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), to qualify as a refugee , an individual must:
Be outside the United States
Be of special humanitarian concern to the U.S.
Demonstrate past persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group
Not be firmly resettled in another country
Be admissible to the United States under immigration laws
Application Process and Next Steps
Referral Required: Applicants must receive a referral to USRAP for consideration as a refugee.
USCIS Interview: Once referred, an applicant will complete their refugee application and undergo an interview with a USCIS officer abroad who will determine eligibility.
Family Inclusion: A refugee’s spouse and unmarried children under 21may be included in their application.
Resettlement Assistance: Approved refugees will receive a medical exam, cultural orientation, assistance with travel, and a travel loan to relocate to the U.S.
Work Authorization: Refugees may legally work in the U.S. immediately upon arrival.
Path to Permanent Residency:
Refugees must apply for a Green Card one year after entering the United States.
Important Considerations
The executive order signals a significant policy shift in U.S. immigration, prioritizing refugee protections for individuals facing race-based property confiscation and discrimination. While the order outlines a framework for resettlement, specific details regarding application procedures are still forthcoming.
Our firm, Versfeld & Hugo, LLC, is closely monitoring developments and will provide updates as soon as USCIS and the State Department release additional information.
For those potentially eligible, we strongly advise consulting with an immigration attorney to assess available legal pathways and next steps. PLEASE BE AWARE OF SCAMMERS OR NON-LAWYERS IN THIS SPACE
For inquiries regarding U.S. refugee admissions and immigration options, contact:
📞 +1 816-891-8600
Please Note:
1. Subscribing for updates does not constitute an official refugee application.
2. Nova Home Lovers does not process, approve, or facilitate refugee applications.
3. All applications must be submitted through the appropriate U.S. government channels.
4. Nova Home Lovers does not provide legal or immigration advice or services.
As always, I am only an email, phone call or text away and happy to assist with any international, national or local real estate & relocation assistance.
Wanda Voight
Realtor & Relocation Coach
+1 571-774-2080
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