United States government officials are weighing a media and research campaign costing roughly $335,000 to determine why white Afrikaners have not applied for US refugee status in the numbers anticipated by the administration. A proposal outlined by state department officials follows lower-than-expected application rates since the group became eligible to apply directly online in November 2025.
The administrative focus on Afrikaners stems from a February 2025 executive order that prioritized their resettlement while the broader refugee program remained suspended. Officials at the time cited allegations of racial discrimination and white genocide, claims that experts have widely dismissed and the South African government has firmly rejected as unfounded.
Under the state department proposal, the initiative would unfold across three phases. Focus groups would be conducted in various locations, including Pretoria, Krugersdorp, Bloemfontein, Kroonstad, Stellenbosch, Worcester, Kimberley, and the Afrikaner-only separatist community of Orania. Researchers would then survey 1,000 Afrikaners to test messaging effectiveness, followed by a six-month digital campaign primarily in Afrikaans targeting individuals interested in migration.
A state department spokesperson defended the ongoing policy, stating that the administration continues to process and admit Afrikaners escaping government-sponsored race-based discrimination. Meanwhile, South African officials maintain that the low uptake of the refugee offer demonstrates that allegations of targeted violence lack factual support.
The refugee initiative coincides with wider diplomatic friction between Washington and Pretoria. The US has previously cut aid, restricted visas over land and race policies, and excluded South Africa from the upcoming 2026 G20 summit in Miami. Additionally, administration funding shifts have directed millions toward human rights grants, including a $1m allocation intended to support minority rights and track abuses in South Africa.