Three months after arriving in the United States under a controversial resettlement effort praised by former President Donald Trump, a group of self-proclaimed Afrikaner “refugees” is grappling with the harsh realities of life far from home and far from the promises they believed awaited them.
Marketed as victims of alleged persecution in South Africa, the Afrikaner migrants were welcomed by fringe conservative groups in the U.S. earlier this year, with Trump himself making remarks lauding them as “hardworking people fleeing oppression.” But as the media spotlight faded and support networks dwindled, many now face a difficult adjustment marked by economic hardship, legal limbo, and cultural dislocation.
In rural parts of Texas and Tennessee, where some of the migrants have resettled, families are reportedly struggling to find stable employment, access basic healthcare, and navigate the complexities of the American immigration system. Without formal refugee status or federal aid, they rely heavily on sympathetic local churches and right-wing advocacy groups for temporary housing and food.
“We were told we’d be welcomed with open arms, given work, and a fresh start,” said one migrant father, speaking on condition of anonymity. “But now we’re sleeping in trailers and trying to survive on odd jobs.”
Trump’s vocal support for the group, which began during his presidency and reignited during a campaign rally earlier this year, sparked both praise and outrage. Human rights observers criticised the move as a politically charged attempt to cast white South Africans as victims, while ignoring broader migration crises involving people of colour.
The U.S. State Department has not formally recognised Afrikaners as a persecuted minority, and immigration experts warn that most of the recent arrivals lack the necessary documentation to stay legally. Some could soon face deportation proceedings unless granted asylum — a process requiring them to prove “credible fear” of persecution back home.
In South Africa, the narrative has been met with skepticism. Government officials and civil society groups have repeatedly rejected claims of racially motivated persecution against Afrikaners, labelling them as part of a misleading, racially charged narrative promoted by far-right interests abroad.
“This was always a political stunt,” said a Johannesburg-based migration researcher. “Now the individuals involved are paying the price for a myth that was never grounded in fact.”
For the Afrikaner migrants themselves, the American dream is proving more elusive than expected. As winter approaches, and support networks dwindle, they face a tough decision: persist in limbo — or return home empty-handed.