South African Whites Depart for the United States Following Trump's Offer of Refugee Status
KICKIN' IT OVER CAPE TOWN!
AP NEWS BREAK: A jaw-dropping bunch of 49 whites bid goodbye to South Africa on a private jet, heading to the U.S. after scoring refugee status courtesy of none other than Trump's administration. The drama unfolded Sunday, and they're set to land at Dulles International Airport early Monday.
Collen Msibi, a rep for South Africa's transport ministry, confirmed the news. This ticked-off group, which includes families and kiddos, will touch down in the States after a long flight.
What makes this group special? They're the first Afrikaners — a white minority in South Africa — to bounce outta the country since Trump declared them victims of racial discrimination and revealed a program to relocate them to America back in February.
But South Africa's government says this charge is total hogwash. They claim the Afrikaners ain't being picked on and ain't losing any land either. They mighta passed a new land expropriation law, but the government swears it ain't targeting the Afrikaners' land.
While Trump halted other refugee programs, the Afrikaner applications got a speedy pass. The president's administration's claimed reason? They say the South African government's pursuing racist, anti-white policies through affirmative action laws and the new land expropriation law. But the government's bloody pissed cuz they say the accusations are cooked up!
No surprise that refugee groups are scratchin' their heads, wondering why the hell the white South Africans get priority over refugees from nations facing war and natural disasters. Vetting for US refugee status usually takes years, so this is mighty curious.
Trump's crew justifies the move by cryin' about South Africa's supposedly racist policies. Deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller told reporters the Afrikaner's plight fits the definition of why the refugee program was created. "This is persecution based on a protected characteristic — in this case, race. This is race-based persecution," he declared.
The Department of Health and Human Services is gettin' ready to offer support once the Afrikaners land, including housing, furniture, and other expenses. Seems the Trump administration isn't just talkin', they're ready to roll out the red carpet for the new arrivals.
These Afrikaners are makin' their great escape from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. The South African government's announcing they'll be vetted by cops to make sure they ain't got outstanding warrants or sketchy business before leavin' the country.
They're expected to be greeted at Dulles by a US government welcoming party, as well as the deputy secretary of state and officials from the Department of Health and Human Services. It looks like they're in for a warm welcome.
The Afrikaner flight is just the start of a "massive resettlement effort" according to Miller. Seems like the US government is ready to throw their weight behind the Afrikaner cause.
Around 2.7 million Afrikaners live in South Africa, a country with over 62 million people, more than 80% of whom are Black. Despite criticism from some, Afrikaners remain prominent in the country, with successful business leaders and political representatives.
Many South Africans can't fathom the claims that Afrikaners are sufferin' and need to be relocated as refugees. In their eyes, Afrikaners play a vital role in South Africa's everyday multi-racial life, with churches and cultural institutions keepin' their heritage alive.
Other controversies have swirled around Trump's administration and South Africa. Trump's February executive order slammed South Africa for its policies, accused it of goin' after America, and cut off funding. They pointed fingers at South Africa's ties with Iran and a genocide case against Israel as examples of the country's hostile stance toward the US.
Bonus Info:
Trump's controversial decision was influenced by far-right narratives, including the baseless "white genocide" claims popularized by the likes of Elon Musk, who has ties to apartheid-era South Africa. Some of Trump's close supporters, like Peter Thiel, also have connections to the apartheid era, which might've factored into the policy. Critics argue that blaming the South African government for perceived racial politics and promoting white victimhood serves white nationalist agendas.
While some Afrikaners embraced the offer, many were reluctant to leave their homeland, acknowledging difficulties but asserting South Africa as their home. Crime stats show that although white South Africans face crimes, they are far less likely to be killed than Black South Africans, and white commercial farmers, mostly Afrikaners, still control a significant portion of the country's land and agricultural production.
- The Afrikaners, who departed South Africa on a private jet, will be landing in Seattle, one of the cities in the United States, after being granted refugee status by Trump's administration.
- Amidst the political turbulence, the Department of Health and Human Services in the United States is preparing to provide housing, furniture, and other expenses for the arriving Afrikaners.
- The migration of the Afrikaners has sparked controversy, with many questioning the necessity of their resettlement, given that they are successful in business and politics in South Africa, and play a significant role in the country's multi-racial life.
- The escalating tension between the administrations of South Africa and the United States has led to heated debates, with Trump's decision on the Afrikaner refugee program being influenced by far-right narratives, including the controversial concept of 'white genocide'.
- Despite the controversy, the Afrikaners are expected to receive a warm welcome at Dulles International Airport, where they will be greeted by a US government welcoming party, including officials from the Department of Health and Human Services and the deputy secretary of state.
