Black U.S. Farmers Still Face Discrimination While White Afrikaners Are Fast-Tracked for U.S. Resettlement
By L. Williams Urban Voices May 18, 2025
In a stark illustration of racial disparities in U.S. agricultural and immigration policies, Black American farmers continue to grapple with systemic discrimination and economic hardship, while white South African Afrikaners are being granted expedited refugee status and resettlement opportunities under the Trump administration.
Black Farmers: Struggling Against Systemic Inequities
Despite a historic $2 billion settlement in 2024 aimed at addressing decades of USDA discrimination, Black farmers remain marginalized. Recent reports indicate that Black farmers represent only 1.24% of all U.S. farmers, a figure that starkly contrasts with their 12.4% representation in the general population. Yahoo+2Black America Web+2WUFT+2WMNF 88.5 FM
Compounding these challenges, a federal lawsuit filed in Mississippi alleges that Black farmworkers were systematically underpaid and denied job opportunities in favor of white South African workers brought in under the H-2A visa program. The suit claims that Black workers were paid significantly less than their white counterparts for the same work, highlighting ongoing racial disparities in the agricultural sector. AGDAILY
Afrikaners: Fast-Tracked Resettlement Amid Controversy
In contrast, the Trump administration has initiated a controversial program granting refugee status to white South African Afrikaners, citing alleged persecution and land expropriation in South Africa. An executive order signed in February 2025 froze U.S. aid to South Africa and prioritized the resettlement of Afrikaners in the United States. WSJNew York Post+3BusinessTech+3Insider Chronicle+3
The first group of 59 Afrikaners arrived in the U.S. on May 12, 2025, under this program, receiving expedited processing and government-chartered flights—measures rarely afforded to other refugee groups. WUSF+1New York Post+1
Critics argue that this policy reflects a racial bias, favoring white immigrants over more vulnerable populations facing genuine persecution. Historians and experts have pointed out that Afrikaners, despite claims of discrimination, remain among the most privileged groups in South Africa. Vox
A Tale of Two Realities
The juxtaposition of Black American farmers’ ongoing struggles with the preferential treatment of white South African immigrants underscores persistent racial inequities in U.S. policy. As Black farmers continue to fight for equal treatment and economic justice, the expedited resettlement of Afrikaners raises critical questions about whose experiences of hardship are recognized and addressed by the U.S. government.
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