US Plans to Process 4,500 White South African Refugees Monthly, Document Reveals

A State Department document shows the U.S. wants to process 4,500 refugee applications from white South Africans each month, well beyond President Trump's overall refugee cap. The government is setting up temporary trailers at the embassy in Pretoria after previous processing sites faced interference from South African authorities.

A newly disclosed State Department document reveals the United States plans to handle 4,500 refugee applications monthly from white South Africans, a figure that significantly exceeds President Donald Trump’s announced refugee program limits.

The January 27 document, which had not been previously reported, shows officials are setting up temporary trailer facilities at the U.S. embassy compound in Pretoria to handle the increased workload.

This monthly processing goal far surpasses Trump’s declared ceiling of 7,500 total refugees from all countries for fiscal year 2026. Internal discussions last year had considered much higher limits between 40,000 and 60,000 people.

Since the program began in May 2025, approximately 2,000 white South Africans have arrived in the United States as refugees through January 31, though the numbers have increased in recent months.

However, recent administrative holdups in Washington have temporarily suspended all refugee arrivals to the U.S., including those from South Africa, according to a government official with knowledge of the situation.

Neither the State Department nor Department of Homeland Security provided responses to inquiries about the program. White House officials directed questions to the State Department.

The South African Chamber of Commerce in the U.S. reported last year that over 67,000 individuals had shown interest in relocating to America.

After initially stopping all refugee admissions upon taking office in 2025, Trump later created a special program for white South Africans of Afrikaner heritage, claiming they face violent persecution in the predominantly Black nation. South African officials have disputed this characterization, and some refugee advocacy groups have condemned the policy.

The contracting document, published Wednesday in a government database, justifies bypassing competitive bidding for the trailer contract due to urgent security needs.

According to the document, South African immigration officials had previously raided a U.S. refugee processing center located in a commercial building in Johannesburg, which “compromised operations” and forced officials to seek a more secure location.

“The inability to safely process about 4,500 applicants per month, an objective communicated to (the U.S. State Department’s refugee division) from the White House, would result in failure to meet a Presidential priority,” the document stated.

South African Foreign Ministry spokesperson Chrispin Phiri indicated his government would not obstruct the U.S. program as long as it operates within legal parameters, while maintaining Pretoria’s disagreement with Trump’s persecution claims.

“The assertion that Afrikaners face systemic persecution is fundamentally unsubstantiated,” Phiri said.

It remains uncertain whether the ambitious 4,500 monthly target can be achieved. The State Department recently suspended all refugee travel, including South Africans, from February 23 through March 9 due to operational issues, according to an email sent to applicants.

Due to Trump’s comprehensive refugee prohibition issued in January 2025, South Africans must receive individual approval from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on a case-by-case basis.

The government official, speaking anonymously about internal operations, said DHS has delayed these approvals, creating an administrative bottleneck.

Before the temporary suspension, South African admissions had been increasing, with approximately 1,500 people entering in December and January, compared to roughly 500 during the previous six and a half months, based on State Department data.

U.S.-South Africa relations became strained in mid-December when South African authorities conducted the raid on the Johannesburg commercial facility where American staff and contractors were processing refugee cases.

Seven Kenyan contractors working for a U.S.-based refugee organization were arrested for alleged visa violations, while two American refugee officers were temporarily detained.

American and South African officials reached a private understanding during a closed meeting in late December to permit processing to resume, as Reuters previously reported.

The contracting document revealed that a South African company received a non-competitive $772,000 contract to provide and install 14 prefabricated modular units as part of a “temporary modular village” at an embassy property in Pretoria.

In a WhatsApp chat group where South Africans exchange program information, one applicant reported having an interview this week in a trailer-style building at an embassy property, noting that additional trailers were being prepared, indicating the facility is now functioning.