Leave it to President Donald Trump to not only expose his racial bias but also piss Black folks off at the same damn time. Dozens of white South African “refugees” were just welcomed into the country under orders from Trump. But if you know anything about the history of white colonizers in South Africa, then Trump’s new move should scare and infuriate you.
Fifty-nine white South Africans arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport on Monday (May 12), according to NBC News. They argued they were facing racial discrimination and violence in South Africa and needed refuge. In their home country, they’d be considered “Afrikaners,” the Southern African ethnic group descended from predominantly Dutch settlers.
Afrikaners violently ruled over South Africa for decades, and it wasn’t until 1994 that apartheid— or racial segregation— ended in the country. Many consider Afrikaners some of the worst colonizers in global history, so Trump’s move to give them refuge is rubbing folks the wrong way. Not to mention America’s ongoing conflict with immigrants under the Trump administration has folks frustrated over the clear double standard.
Many see the move as a slap in the face to Black and brown migrants who Trump has demonized over the past decade. Let’s never forget when he and Vice President JD Vance accused Haitian migrants of “eating the cats and dogs” of Ohio residents without merit. Or when he referred to African and Caribbean countries as “s***hole countries.”
On X, you can bet Black folks called out the hypocrisy of the Trump administration. @_lifeofriley92 wrote “So they don’t have a problem with refugees and immigrants coming into their country……as long as they look like them.”
Another user, @MightyKeef, said “Trump spent over a year instilling the idea to Americans that fleeing Immigrants from Latin America were taking advantage of government benefits and the cause of our problems.” They continued writing, “Just to turn around and grant white immigrants from South Africa refugee and government benefits.”
Other folks simply suggested for Trump to send them to a different country... You know, just as the president has bragged about doing to other migrant groups. “SEND THEM TO AUSTRALIA,” @iamjadebrieanne wrote.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau defended the 59 Afrikaners saying, “They tell quite harrowing stories of the violence that they faced in South Africa that was not redressed by the authorities by the unjust application of the law.” He continued, “The United States, as we were proud to say, has stood for equal justice under law and the fair and impartial application of the law.”
...But maybe he should speak for himself, as Black Americans continued to bash Trump for welcoming literal colonizers into the country. @Finalbossjimmy even said, “Seems like Trump wants the white anti black immigrants.”
It’s important to note that 101 of the 225 killed on farms in South Africa between April 2020 and March 2024 were Black workers. The other 53 were white, according to The New York Times. So the idea that white South Africans are being disproportionately targeted and killed in “their” country isn’t supported by data.
Other Black folks online questioned whether the Afrikaners should be treated the same as other migrants. “President Musk & VP Trump are gonna give them everything we’ve ever asked for and more. I bet they’ll get free healthcare, college tuition, housing, etc.,” @AdamantxYves wrote. “Otherwise, they’d never make it here since they couldn’t even make it in South Africa where they have ALL the privilege.”
@CarrieCnh12 took issue with the usage of the word “refugee” while referring to the migrants. “They are NOT ‘refugees.’ Stop calling them that.” They continued saying, “They are settlers leaving South Africa where they literally had all the privilege in the world.”