A group of 49 white South Africans, mainly Afrikaners, left South Africa for the United States last night under a new refugee programme launched by President Donald Trump, South African media report. 

The initiative, announced in February 2025, claims to offer protection to white South African citizens from alleged racial discrimination in that country.

Trump said in March that any South African farmer seeking to "flee" would have a "rapid pathway" to US citizenship, despite halting all other refugee arrivals to the U.S. after taking office in January.

Afriforum, the civil rights group backing the white Afrikaner community, has been instrumental in shaping the narrative of white persecution in South Africa.

President Trump’s executive order cites "targeted discrimination" against Afrikaners by South Africa’s ANC-led government as justification for granting asylum.

The South African government denies claims of systemic racism against Afrikaners. 

More arrivals under the programme are expected in the US in the coming months.