Donald Trump’s renewed immigration agenda since returning to office for a second term has generated widespread debate and sharp divisions.
Under his “America First” approach, the current U.S. administration has introduced strict policies aimed at removing undocumented migrants and returning them to their countries of origin or third-party destinations.
As a result, the United States has deported some irregular migrants to African countries including Ghana, Uganda, and Eswatini in Southern Africa.
At the same time, however, the U.S. has also admitted a significant number of refugees, most of whom, according to recent reporting, originate from South Africa.
From October 2025 to the present, a total of 4,499 refugees have been resettled in the United States.
Data from the Refugee Processing Center shows that all but three of these arrivals are South African nationals, with the remaining individuals coming from Afghanistan.
These figures highlight a dual pattern in U.S. migration policy: deportations toward Southern Africa alongside refugee admissions from the same region, predominantly consisting of white South Africans.
According to reporting by the BBC, the U.S. suspended its broader refugee admissions programme in 2025, including for conflict-affected populations, while making an exception for Afrikaners, a white minority group the administration described as facing persecution.
Priority admission was reportedly given to Afrikaners and other individuals classified as victims of unjust or illegal discrimination in their home countries.
The South African government rejected this framing, denying allegations of systemic discrimination and criticising Washington’s decision to prioritise only white South African applicants.
The disagreement escalated into diplomatic friction between both nations, eventually contributing to strained relations and Trump’s decision to skip the G20 summit.
Relations between South Africa and the United States have deteriorated notably since the start of Trump’s second term in 2025.
The U.S. government levelled accusations against South Africa over alleged land seizures from white farmers, claims that Pretoria has strongly disputed.
This dispute prompted a tense White House meeting between Cyril Ramaphosa and Trump, during which Ramaphosa defended South Africa’s position.
Soon after, Washington imposed trade restrictions on South Africa, including tariffs reportedly reaching up to 30%, further straining economic relations.
The U.S. president also boycotted the G20 summit, citing dissatisfaction with Pretoria’s response to the allegations, while South Africa later opted to temporarily withdraw from G20 participation during the U.S. presidency of the forum in 2026.
By January 2026, tensions deepened following reports that Iranian naval vessels had taken part in joint exercises in South African waters, prompting further U.S. concern.
In March, relations worsened again after remarks by U.S. Ambassador Leo Brent Bozell III, who said Washington was growing increasingly frustrated with Pretoria’s positions.
He argued that U.S. concerns were linked to South Africa’s refusal to condemn the “Kill the Boer” slogan, its stance on land reform policies such as the Expropriation Act, its Black Economic Empowerment framework, and its perceived non-aligned foreign policy posture, as well as concerns over violence affecting white farmers.
Following those comments, the ambassador was summoned for clarification by South African authorities.
Despite the tensions, recent reports suggest tentative efforts by both countries to stabilise relations, with President Ramaphosa formally receiving the credentials of new U.S. Ambassador Leo Brent Bozell in Pretoria as part of renewed diplomatic engagement.