White South Africans arrive in US under Trump refugee planBritish Broadcasting CorporationBritish Broadcasting Corporation

Fifty-nine white South Africans arrived in the US and were granted refugee status, a move expedited by the Trump administration citing "racial discrimination" against the Afrikaner minority. The South African government disputes this, stating the group doesn't meet the criteria for refugee status. This decision has sparked outrage, with critics calling it a racist act, particularly given the halt to all other refugee admissions. The Trump administration has faced criticism for its handling of the situation, particularly regarding the fast-tracked processing and alleged "genocide" of white farmers in South Africa, a claim widely discredited. Bilateral relations between the US and South Africa have been strained by this and other disagreements.