Afrikaners who emigrated to the US under Trump are not refugees, say experts
The labelling of these migrants as refugees also undermines the legitimacy of actual asylum seekers escaping war, dictatorship, and systemic oppression in countries like Syria, Sudan, or Afghanistan.'
Scores of Afrikaners who emigrated from South Africa to the United States are being falsely referred to as 'refugees' or 'asylum seekers,' a claim migration experts and human rights organisations say is inaccurate and misleading.
Trump said he would prioritise immigration status to white South African farmers, citing alleged persecution and even going as far as referencing a so-called 'white genocide.' The claim, widely circulated in far-right circles, was based on unverified reports that white farmers were being systematically targeted for violent attacks because of their race.
However, multiple investigations by international watchdogs, the United Nations, and the South African Human Rights Commission have found no evidence of a racial genocide or campaign against white South Africans.'There is no civil war in South Africa, and there is no state-sanctioned violence targeting white communities,' said Dr. Lindiwe Maseko, a political analyst at the University of the Witwatersrand.
'Crime is a national crisis, but it affects all races. The idea that white South Africans, specifically Afrikaners, qualify as refugees under international law is false.'According to the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention, a refugee is defined as someone fleeing persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group, generally under circumstances of war or extreme oppression.
Experts say the economic difficulties, rising crime, and land reform debates in South Africa do not meet this threshold.'There is no credible basis for Afrikaners to claim refugee or asylum status in the U.S.,' said Professor Eric Goldstein, a migration law specialist. 'Leaving for economic or safety reasons is emigration, not flight from persecution.'
The labelling of these migrants as refugees also undermines the legitimacy of actual asylum seekers escaping war, dictatorship, and systemic oppression in countries like Syria, Sudan, or Afghanistan.'
Using the term 'refugee' in this context not only distorts reality but insults the experiences of those fleeing real humanitarian crises,' Goldstein added.
While every individual has the right to seek a better life abroad, experts agree that Afrikaners leaving South Africa under Trump's policy were not escaping persecution, but rather pursuing personal and economic opportunities, and should not be classified as refugees.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
eNCA
2 hours ago
- eNCA
Trump due in Canada as G7 confronts Israel-Iran crisis
Group of Seven leaders including US President Donald Trump headed Sunday to the Canadian Rockies for a summit that takes on new urgency after Israel attacked Iran. The three-day gathering in the mountain town of Kananaskis marks the return to the international diplomatic calendar by Trump, who in his second term has been even more emboldened to shatter norms than in his first stint. Trump is visiting Canada despite his mockery of the United States' northern neighbor, which he has said would be better off as the 51st state. Tensions have eased since Prime Minister Mark Carney, a former central banker known more for his competence than pizzazz, took over in March from Justin Trudeau, an erstwhile star on the global stage whom Trump made no secret of despising. Carney had designed an agenda aimed at minimizing disagreements during the summit of the club of major industrial democracies -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States. But the leaders will likely see divisions as they discuss Israel's stunning military campaign that began Friday and is aimed at Iran's nuclear program and security apparatus. Iran has hit back with a barrage of missiles and drones against Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched the attack despite public calls by Trump to step back, as the United States and Iran had been holding talks on a diplomatic resolution over the cleric-run state's contested nuclear work. Trump nonetheless has since praised Israel's strikes, while also calling on the two sides to "make a deal." European powers have been cautious. French President Emmanuel Macron has called for restraint and urged Iran to re-enter talks with the United States, while blaming Tehran for escalating tensions over its nuclear program. Japan, which historically has maintained cordial ties with Iran, made an unusually forceful break with Western allies and denounced Israel's strikes as "completely unacceptable and deeply regrettable." - Disagreement just below surface - Another war will also be under discussion in Kananaskis. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is among the invited guests and hopes to speak to Trump, who publicly derided him when they met at the White House on February 28. Trump had hoped to force Ukraine into a quick deal with Russia but he has grown frustrated after President Vladimir Putin refused US-led appeals for at least a temporary truce. Trump spoke by telephone with Putin on Saturday both about the Israel-Iran conflict and Ukraine. Neither issue is expected to figure in a joint G7 communique, with Carney instead seeking only statements on low-controversy issues such as improving supply chains. Trump, when he last visited Canada for a G7 summit in 2018, bolted out early and from Air Force One tweeted insults about Trudeau and disassociated the United States from the final statement. G7 leaders have all voiced eagerness to engage Trump but in some cases have made clear their boundaries. Macron headed to the summit after stopping in Greenland, where he denounced Trump's threats to seize the Danish autonomous territory. "That's not what allies do," Macron said. Trump for his part is heading to the summit after attending an unusual military parade in Washington that coincided with his birthday, prompting nationwide protests over steps seen as increasingly authoritarian. - Trade deadline looms - European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen also spoke by telephone Saturday with Trump and called for pressure on Russia over the Ukraine invasion. She also voiced hope for progress in trade talks. Trump, seeking a radical transformation of a global economic order centered on free trade, has vowed to slap sweeping tariffs on US friends and foes alike on July 9, a deadline he postponed once. Josh Lipsky, chair of international economics at the Atlantic Council, expected US allies to tread lightly on the tariffs as previous experience showed the "huge risk" if they push Trump too hard. "If it was a ganging up, I think that would backfire," he said. Other leaders invited to Kananaskis include Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Canada hopes to ease tensions. Trudeau had accused Modi's government of masterminding the assassination of a Sikh separatist in Canada, which expelled the Indian ambassador, prompting New Delhi to take punitive action of its own.
The South African
2 hours ago
- The South African
'DEMANDING' unemployed refugee applicants told to be patient
US intelligence analyst Chris Wyatt has cautioned 'demanding' refugee applicants to exercise patience as they await a call back from authorities. He's also warned the group and other South Africans that the 'golden ticket' offer to 'persecuted' people is NOT a job programme. In February, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order fast-tracking the status of white Afrikaners and other racial minorities. In a video uploaded to his social media account, Chris Wyatt responded to South Africans who had inundated him with messages about their refugee resettlement programme applications. The retired military colonel has taken an interest in the plight of 'persecuted' minorities in South Africa, one of them being Afrikaners. Admitting to being 'frustrated', he said: 'Here is some advice for anxious and impatient people: get on with your lives. When the call comes, the call comes. 'People are being offered the most amazing gift possible under the unbelievable circumstances – where no one gave a c**p and completely ignored your plight – to become quite demanding. He added of refugee applicants: 'Did you really think they would call you the next day? Honestly, you have very unrealistic expectations about how the world works. 'You had no offer [before]. You're not paying for this. We, the American taxpayers, are paying for this. We're not invading your country; you're coming here, at our invitation. '… You're not entitled to this. It's not a right; it's a gift.' @edlin1344 Has the South Africa Refugee Program stopped NO#edlin1344 ♬ original sound – Edlin In the clip, Chris Wyatt also claimed the refugee progamme was not a job programme for unemployed South Africans. He said: 'Let's be clear about something…I'm getting increasingly distressed messages from people, and they're articulating completely the wrong reasons why they want to participate in the programme. About 50% of the messages are from people who say they do not have a job. Well, this isn't a job scheme. We are not bringing South Africans to America to give you jobs…we don't need South Africans to do jobs, we don't need your skills, we don't care what you contribute. South African 'refugees' – predominantly white Afrikaners – have expressed interest in the refugee programme. Images via X: @usembassysa 'If that's what you are coming for, and you are complaining that it is taking too long, then you need to put your CV in somewhere else, at Steers, Debonairs, or Eskom. He added: 'That's the bottom line.' According to the US Embassy, applicants for the refugee programme must meet the following criteria. Be South African Be of Afrikaner ethnicity or be a member of a racial minority in South Africa. Must be able to articulate an experience of persecution or fear of future persecution. Applicants who met the criteria were encouraged to complete and submit a Statement of Interest form. In line with US President Donald Trump's claims of 'racial discrimination', applicants must prove that they have been 'persecuted' in their applications. In the Statement of Interest form, applicants are required to specify if the 'persecution' was based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, membership of a social group, or a fear of 'future harm'. Other questions included when the prospective 'refugee' would like to travel to the US, how many family members they would like to bring, and if interested parties have a valid passport. 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.
Eyewitness News
2 hours ago
- Eyewitness News
SANDF top brass welcome home second group of soldiers from DRC deployment
PRETORIA - Scenes of jubilation played out at the Waterkloof air force base in Pretoria on Sunday evening as SANDF troops touched down on home soil for the first time since their 2023 deployment in the war-torn eastern DRC. This is the second group to return home in as many days. They were part of a peacekeeping mission commissioned by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in 2023. Earlier this year, a decision was taken to withdraw all SAMIDRC troops after a ceasefire was brokered between the Congolese government and M23 rebels. Chief of the SANDF, General Rudzani Maphwanya, was among officials at the national key point welcoming the troops back. SANDF spokesperson Prince Tshabalala said that the soldiers would now make their way to Bloemfontein for a demobilisation process. "This is a military command counsel, this is the leadership of the SANDF illustrating their commitment to supporting soldiers. In fact, I had one solider tell me he is looking forward a warm South African meal, so that's the true spirit we are seeing today."
