<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Trump administration notified Congress on September 22, 2026, that it plans to accept 17,500 South African refugees over the next fiscal year, which begins on October 1, 2026. This number is an increase from the previous cap of 7,500.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The initiative is part of a $500 million effort, prompted by concerns about the persecution of the Afrikaner minority group in South Africa. The State Department stated that Afrikaners face property seizures without compensation, discriminatory government policies, and violence fueled by hateful rhetoric.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The notice to Congress indicated that the U.S. expects Afrikaners to assimilate into American society while preserving taxpayer resources. The administration does not anticipate other countries resettling Afrikaners.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This announcement follows President Trump's previous decision to lower the refugee cap from the Biden administration's 2024 limit of 125,000 to 7,500. In May 2026, Trump raised the limit to 17,500, primarily for Afrikaners, who are descendants of Dutch, Huguenot, and German settlers.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The U.S. accepted its first group of Afrikaners, totaling 54 individuals, in May 2026. This was in response to claims that the South African government was seizing agricultural land from Afrikaners without compensation and that many farmers were being killed. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has denied that the minority group is under threat, attributing violence to broader crime issues in the country.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Despite this, allegations of systemic oppression against Afrikaners were heightened when Ramaphosa signed a law in 2025 allowing the government to seize farmland without compensation if deemed in the public interest.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Some U.S. Democrats have criticized the Trump administration's focus on Afrikaners, suggesting it reflects a racial bias in refugee policy. During a Senate hearing, Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) questioned whether the State Department applies different standards for refugees based on race.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In response, Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the administration's actions, stating that the focus on Afrikaners is based on their circumstances rather than their race.</p>