The administration of US President Donald Trump has decided to increase the annual refugee admissions limit to 17,500 people; however, the additional spots are effectively designated only for white South African Afrikaners. This was reported by the Associated Press, according to UNN.
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Trump stated that the decision was made due to an "unforeseen refugee emergency" in South Africa. According to him, there has allegedly been an increase in "racially motivated incitement to violence" in the country, although the White House has not released specific evidence.
"The admission to the United States of Afrikaners from South Africa in response to this emergency is justified by serious humanitarian concerns,"
Last year, the Trump administration planned to admit up to 7,500 refugees, primarily Afrikaners, but the quota has now been increased by an additional 10,000 people. At the same time, the refugee assistance program for people from other countries remains effectively blocked following Trump's decision to suspend it on his first day back in the White House.
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The South African government denies allegations of persecution of white citizens. Critics of the Trump administration argue that focusing a long-standing refugee support program on only one group leaves people fleeing wars and humanitarian crises in other regions of the world without assistance.