Afrikaner refugees in the US: Settled or struggling after one month?
In a viral video making the rounds on social media, a South African-born woman living in the US claimed that a family of Afrikaner ‘refugees’ are going without food, money, and cellphones in a hotel.
“They were of the understanding that they were going to be arriving here to assistance. People thought they were going to be arriving at a house, a job, and medical insurance. It isn’t that way at all,” the woman claimed.
However, the founder of Amerikaners (an organisation that assists South Africans who want to accept the refugee offer), Sam Busa, dismissed the claims that the ‘refugees’ may be in dire straits, with some allegedly living in hotels.
“We expected there would be some administrative issues for the pilot group, which is exactly why the pilot study was conducted – to iron out the everyday problems. As far as we know, the issues have been resolved and the group is settling well and excited about their new lives,” she said.
Busa went on to say that it is not unusual for people to be housed in hotels in a refugee programme. “The US government would never deliberately abandon people with no resources. Those posting videos are just clickbaiting people by trying to dramatise a situation in a thinly veiled attempt to discredit the refugee process.”
July 12 marks a month since the first group went over to the US due to ‘racial persecution’. They were armed with US flags, and they listened intently as they were welcomed at the Dulles Airport in Virginia following their flight from Johannesburg.
Recently, Mayibuye Melisizwe Mandela, the great-grandson of Nelson Mandela, called on the government to take legal action against the more than 49 Afrikaners who have relocated to the US.
He claimed that their actions violate South Africa’s Immigration Act, the Films and Publications Act, the Equality Act, and the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorist and Related Activities Act.
“This is not just a matter of misinformation. It is a coordinated effort to destabilise our country and incite international hostility,” he claimed.
Here is what the US offered the Afrikaners:
Legal entry and work authorisation
Refugees are lawfully admitted to the United States and granted immediate permission to work through a Form I-94 (Arrival/Departure Record) and an Employment Authorisation Document.
Resettlement support
The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) will assist Afrikaners with initial accommodation, job placement, and school enrollment via resettlement agencies.
Financial and medical assistance
T*may receive Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) and Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA) for up to four months (for those arriving after May 2025), covering essential needs such as food and healthcare.
They may also qualify for federal benefits, including Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Family reunification
Within two years, they can submit Form I-730 to sponsor their spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21 to join them in the United States.
Pathway to permanent residency
After one year, they become eligible to apply for a Green Card, which provides a route to US citizenship.
Ordinarily, to be eligible, applicants must be outside the US (or, in exceptional cases, within their home country if authorised by Trump) and must prove they have experienced past persecution or have a well-founded fear of future persecution.
IOL Politics