A new US bill called the AFRIKANER Act has been introduced by Republican Congressman Troy Nehls.
The AFRIKANER Act unpacked in simple terms
If this bill becomes law, it would give special refugee rights to white South Africans who say they are being targeted or fear being targeted because of their race or background.
The bill gives them what’s called Priority 2 refugee status, which means they would be treated as a group facing danger and could be fast-tracked for resettlement in the United States.
The name “AFRIKANER Act” stands for Asylum for Farmers and Refugees in Crisis and Necessary Emigration Resettlement Act.
This law targets a specific group: white (Caucasian) South Africans. It says they can qualify for refugee status if they have been persecuted—meaning they were treated badly or feel unsafe because they are white—or if they fear that this could happen to them in the future.
The US Secretary of State and the Department of Homeland Security would be in charge of making this happen.
Who can apply for refugee status under the Act
People who can apply under the AFRIKANER Act include:
- White South Africans who claim they have been persecuted or fear persecution because of race or ancestry.
- Their close family members like spouses, children, or parents—although parents must also be South African citizens to qualify.
The applications can be processed either from inside South Africa or another country.
The US would be required to handle these applications even if the person might qualify for other types of US visas.
This means that being married to a US citizen, for example, wouldn’t block them from applying under this new refugee rule.
Even people who were previously arrested or targeted by the South African government for reasons the US sees as political—such as due to their race—could still qualify.
This group would also not count against the normal limit the US has on the number of refugees it accepts each year. So, it creates a new path outside the standard process.
How the AFRIKANER Act affects white South Africans
If passed, the AFRIKANER Act would create a new legal doorway for white South Africans to move to the United States as refugees. This includes those who say they feel unsafe in the country because of their race. It gives them legal protection, a quicker route to resettlement, and more relaxed immigration rules.
The US government would have to provide regular public reports about how many people have applied, how long it’s taking, and how many were rejected.
These reports must be transparent and posted on the official US State Department website.
While this could give some white South Africans a new opportunity to leave the country, the bill is controversial.
It singles out one race for refugee status, which may stir strong political and public reaction in both South Africa and the United States.
The AFRIKANER Act comes at a tense moment in US–South Africa relations. Just this week, US President Donald Trump announced a 30% tariff on goods imported from South Africa.
A tariff is a tax on imports, and this one could hurt South African businesses that sell products like fruit, wine, and vehicles to the U.S.
On top of that, Trump has already cut American HIV/AIDS funding to South Africa and made other decisions seen as unfriendly toward the South African government.
Despite efforts by South African officials to fix the relationship, these actions suggest Washington is hardening its position.
