U.S. State Department drafts $335,000 campaign to boost Afrikaner refugee applications

The U.S. State Department is considering a $335,000 initiative to research and promote refugee applications among South African Afrikaners, after recent numbers fell below targets. The proposal, prepared by the embassy in Pretoria and a department research unit, calls for focus groups in Pretoria, Krugersdorp, Bloemfontein, Kroonstad, Stellenbosch, Worcester, Kimberley and Orania, covering two age brackets and both urban and rural settings.

A subsequent survey of 1,000 Afrikaners will test messaging, leading to a six-month digital outreach primarily in Afrikaans. The effort stems from a February 2025 executive order that placed Afrikaner resettlement ahead of the suspended general refugee program. While U.S. officials argue Afrikaners face government-backed race-based discrimination, South Africa’s government has dismissed genocide claims as unfounded. The broader context includes reduced overall refugee caps and heightened U.S. criticism of South Africa’s race and land policies.