South African immigrants arrive in Idaho under Trump order. What about WA?

Earlier this week a few dozen South Africans seeking asylum arrived in the U.S., and some are settling in the Pacific Northwest. Nine of the immigrants, who claim they are seeking refuge from anti-white discrimination, will settle in Idaho.

Will any of the new arrivals be going to Washington state? Here’s what to know.

Why are Afrikaners seeking asylum?

So far, a January executive order from President Donald Trump has led to the arrival of close to 50 Afrikaners — a term that refers to South Africans descended from Dutch settlers. According to the Washington Post, on Monday, May 12, they arrived at Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C. They were transported aboard a U.S.-funded charter plane.

Those in Idaho will be assisted by the Idaho Office for Refugees, a nonprofit designated to oversee the resettlement program for Idaho. The office confirmed to the Idaho Statesman that nine of the South Africans would be resettling in Twin Falls. They will also be assisted by the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants.

The resettlement program is tied to a land reform law passed earlier this year by the South African government that allows for land seizures without compensation in rare circumstances. According to reporting from NPR, no land has been seized. Whites in South Africa comprise about 7 percent of the population, yet own the vast majority of commercial farmland.

The land reform law makes no specific mention of race and is similar to the rarely-used tool of eminent domain that exists in the U.S.

A U.S. State Department notice about the program notes that applicants “must be able to articulate a past experience of persecution or fear of future persecution.”

According to reporting from the New York Times, about 8,000 individuals are interested in the program.

Are Afrikaners moving to WA?

Afrikaners are resettling in a number of states, but there is no full list currently available. However, according to reporting from NPR and the New York Times, Idaho, Nevada, Minnesota, Iowa and New York are some of the states where the first groups are going.

At the time of publication, there was no indication that any of the initial group of Afrikaners, nor future groups, will be initially resettled in Washington.

The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, which oversees the state’s Office of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance, told McClatchy that it hadn’t been told of any plans to resettle Afrikaners in Washington as of Thursday afternoon.

“DSHS has not received any information about any refugees resettling in Washington state through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, but this could change at any point in time,” DSHS spokesperson Norah West told McClatchy in an email. “DSHS is in communication with [the Office of Refugee Resettlement], and we could anticipate new arrivals from South Africa coming to Washington state in future efforts led by the federal government.”

This story was originally published May 14, 2025 at 2:27 PM.