A US Department of State official has reportedly confirmed that the refugee programme offered to South Africans was intended for white people, particularly Afrikaners.
In February, President Donald Trump signed an executive order granting minorities resettlement under the programme on the grounds of “racial discrimination”.
Since then, two groups of Afrikaner people have arrived in the US, with more expected to follow.
IS REFUGEE PROGRAMME FOR WHITE PEOPLE, AFRIKANERS, OR ALL MINORITIES?
According to Reuters, the US Department of State’s Spencer Chretien, the highest-ranking official in the refugee and migration bureau, stated that the refugee programme was “intended for white people”. Chretien had declined to comment further.
This throws into disrepute the Refugee Admission Programme’s claim that it is open to all “minorities”.
Despite initially being targeted at Afrikaner farmers and white people, US authorities have since included coloured, Indian, and “mixed-race” South Africans.
Applicants must prove that they are “persecuted” South Africans who are victims of “racial discrimination”.
PROCESS OF APPLICATION
The US Embassy has updated its refugee status programme application, with an announcement that communication will be coordinated by RSC Africa, which manages all US-bound applicants from Africa.
This will include:
- Conducting intake and referral interviews
- Collecting applicants’ data and documentation
- Requesting background checks
- Scheduling USCIS interviews
- Arranging for medical exams
- Booking travel to the United States
Ultimately, the application will be reviewed and determined by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
The embassy has also detailed that the refugee status application would include several stages, as outlined in the diagram below.
DO YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO HAS APPLIED FOR THE REFUGEE STATUS PROGRAMME?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
Subscribe to The South African website’s newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
