59 white South Africans have arrived in the US after being granted refugee status by the Trump administration. The group, said to be "victims of discrimination" in their home country, arrived on a US-funded charter plane from Johannesburg and were later welcomed by the administration as refugees. According to President Donald Trump, the group has been victims of “racial discrimination,” reportedly being refused employment and subjected to violence as a result. The process, which typically takes months to years, was expedited, with Trump citing a "genocide" as the reason for their quick entry. "Farmers are being killed, they happen to be white, but whether they’re white or black makes no difference to me," claimed Trump. This development comes as the administration refuses entry for other refugee admissions, including those from war-struck regions. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa disagrees with Trump's rationale, stating that the group does not meet the requirements for refugee status. ccording to Ramaphosa, a refugee is someone who has to flee their country out of fear of “political persecution, religious persecution, or economic persecution.” In February 2025 social media post, Trump accused the South African government of confiscating land, an inaccurate statement that has since been disproven.