Senator Chris Van Hollen criticized the Trump administration’s decision to accept white South African refugees fleeing race-based violence, calling it part of a “sick global apartheid policy.” His comments followed the arrival of 49 Afrikaners—descendants of Dutch settlers—at Dulles International Airport on Monday, with the group set to resettle across ten states.
“Trump and Musk are about to give refugee status to 60 white South Africans—who do not need it—while Trump locks up and deports refugees here who face genuine dangers in other countries,” Van Hollen wrote, referencing the administration’s immigration crackdowns.
Van Hollen’s attack came despite U.S. State Department documents confirming that the South Africans had experienced extreme, racially-motivated violence, including murder, carjackings, and home invasions. A memo reviewed by the Washington Post noted that the Afrikaners “frequently expressed fear of remaining in South Africa due to race-based violence” and a lack of trust in local law enforcement.
Trump first announced the shift in March, pledging to end U.S. aid to South Africa while opening the door to persecuted Afrikaner farmers. “South Africa is being terrible, plus, to long time Farmers in the country,” Trump wrote. “They are confiscating their LAND and FARMS, and MUCH WORSE THAN THAT… any Farmer (with family!) from South Africa, seeking to flee that country for reasons of safety, will be invited into the United States.”
Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller defended the policy, saying the violence fits the “textbook definition” of why the refugee program was created. “This is persecution based on a protected characteristic, in this case, race,” he said.
The administration had initially approved 60 individuals for travel, but paperwork delays stopped 11 from boarding, officials said.
Van Hollen previously drew criticism for attempting to intervene on behalf of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an MS-13 member deported under Trump’s crackdown on gang violence. He traveled to El Salvador to push for Garcia’s release, calling him a victim of “mass deportation goals.”
