Refugees Question Trump Admin's Welcome Gifts for 'Favored' South Africans

Source: Newsweek

Published Jun 27, 2026 at 05:00 AM EDT


As the Trump administration gears up to welcome more white South Africans into the United States as refugees, plans are reportedly underway to offer them welcome packs that offer a particular view on history, and a tablet computer. The planned welcome bags, first reported by The New York Times, stand in contrast to what previous waves of refugees have received from the U.S. government, and come at a time when President Donald Trump has effectively cut off the country's refugee program for all except Afrikaners, whom he argues are being persecuted by their own Black-majority government.

During the last major wave of refugee arrivals, following the American withdrawal from Afghanistan, the focus was on basic necessities rather than political messaging, and while thousands of Afghan refugees made it to the U.S., many are currently blocked from entry. "The issue is not that South African refugees are receiving assistance.

The issue is that the Trump administration appears willing to provide a specially curated welcome package designed to shape how a favored refugee population understands America, race and history while simultaneously leaving Afghan wartime allies stranded, delayed or blocked from resettlement," Shawn VanDiver, president of AfghanEvac, which supports those who assisted U.S. troops in Afghanistan, told Newsweek.

The Times on Wednesday said new arrivals will be getting welcome gifts including the American flag, copies of the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence, an Android tablet and materials that give a simplified and altered view of American and South African history—particularly when it comes to civil rights and racial inequality. The welcome packs, described by an official who spoke with the Times, would mark a notable shift in how the U.S. government welcomes refugees—not just with housing and medical assistance, but with items that push a specific political viewpoint.

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/refugees-question-trump-admins-welcome-gifts-for-favored-south-africans-12115460