Trump refugee program backfires as Afrikaner immigrant’s antisemitic posts surface online

The Donald Trump administration’s program that gives refugee status to Afrikaners, a white ethnic minority from South Africa, has come under fresh scrutiny. Antisemitic social media posts were discovered, and they were reportedly written by one of the first arrivals. This is interesting because the Trump administration has tried to block and deport immigrants for similar reasons, yet let white immigrants come through.

As found by the NY Times, Charl Kleinhaus, a 46-year-old Afrikaner who came to the United States on a chartered flight with dozens of others on May 14, 2025, has been connected to online posts expressing antisemitic views. Kleinhaus’s arrival was part of a resettlement effort that has drawn interest from over 8,000 Afrikaners. This policy is very different from the Trump administration’s general restrictions on refugee admissions.

While the administration largely stopped most refugee programs when it took office, it quickly approved applications from Afrikaners, allowing them safe refuge in the U.S. This special treatment stands in contrast to the experiences of other groups seeking safety, such as Afghan nationals who risked their own lives as well as the lives of their families to help American forces.

Trump’s white refugees allegedly getting away with things

The controversy focuses on several deleted posts from a social media account linked to Kleinhaus. One post, from April 2023, called Jews “untrustworthy” and “a dangerous group” and rejected the idea that they are “God’s chosen.”

Another post, shared in October 2023, showed a video of clashes between Christian worshippers and Israeli police with the caption “Jews attacking Christians!” This video came from a Facebook account named “Israel is a terrorist state.” Kleinhaus released a statement saying the April post was a mistake made while he was on medication and that he supports Israel.

Obviously, these incidents only increased criticism of the refugee program. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has said that it checks all refugee applicants carefully. After Kleinhaus’s alleged posts were revealed, DHS released a statement saying that any claims of wrongdoing are fully investigated and that action is taken when needed. However, the department would not comment directly on Kleinhaus’s case or whether he would face consequences for his online posts.

There seems to be a difference between the administration’s stated vetting process and actual decisions. This is further highlighted by the government’s actions against other people accused of making antisemitic statements. Several foreign nationals, including pro-Palestinian students and a permanent legal resident, have faced deportation or been denied immigration benefits because of speech the U.S. government considers antisemitic.

The specific examples include Badar Khan Suri, Mohsen Mahdawi, Rumeysa Ozturk, Momodou Taal, and Mahmoud Khalil, the last of whom is facing deportation. When you also consider fast tracking and the administration talking about taking away due process from immigrants outside the program, Trump’s white refugees seem to be given treatment that others are not.

The South African government has also publicly disagreed with the Trump administration’s reasoning for giving refugee status to Afrikaners. While the administration claimed Afrikaners were victims of genocide, South African police data does not show evidence of widespread mass killings.