The measure seeks to accelerate the admission of applicants who face situations of violence and discrimination in South Africa.
According to a State Department document dated January 27, the goal of the U.S. government is to process up to 4,500 asylum requests per month. To achieve this, temporary modular structures are being installed on the premises of the United States embassy in Pretoria, in order to expand operational capacity and streamline interviews, evaluations and
administrative procedures.The project includes the construction of a “modular village” consisting of 14 prefabricated buildings that will serve as temporary offices for the personnel responsible for processing cases. The contract to install these structures, valued at approximately 772,000 dollars, was awarded to a South African company due to the urgency of having a safe space to
continue operations.
The initiative is part of the immigration policy implemented by Trump after assuming the presidency again in 2025. Although the president established a global limit of around 7,500 refugees for fiscal year 2026, the program aimed at white South Africans was considered a humanitarian priority within
his administration.U.S. officials maintain that the measure seeks to provide protection to people who report violent attacks, especially in rural areas where attacks against farmers have been reported. From Washington's perspective, providing refuge to those who allege persecution is consistent with the country's historic tradition of offering asylum to at-risk populations
.Since the launch of the program in May 2025, nearly 2,000 white South Africans had been admitted to the United States as refugees as of January 31. However, the pace of admissions has increased in recent months. According to official figures, approximately 1,500 people entered the country between December and January, compared to about 500 who had been accepted during the previous six and a half months
