Washington plans to accept 17,500 white refugees from South Africa - Sarmad

The U.S. Department of State notified Congress that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump plans to accept up to 17,500 white refugees from South Africa.

In a document reviewed by CBS News, the State Department stated that the administration intends to allocate 17,500 refugee slots for fiscal year 2027, which begins in October 2026.

The network added that the notification includes providing $500 million to secure future U.S. government expenditures for the resettlement of South African refugees.

Rising Tensions Between Washington and Pretoria

Relations between Washington and Pretoria have significantly deteriorated following Trump’s statements alleging that white South Africans are being persecuted. South African authorities have repeatedly denied these claims, noting that crime affects all segments of the population.

Subsequently, Trump signed an executive order suspending aid to South Africa and stated that the United States would provide a “fast track to U.S. citizenship” for farmers wishing to leave South Africa for security reasons.

For its part, the South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized Washington’s plans to resettle white South Africans in the United States.