The US government is considering a roughly $335,000 initiative involving research and media to understand why relatively few Afrikaner refugees are applying for resettlement in the United States. Reporting says the plan includes surveys and focus groups, after application numbers “trended lower than expected” since Afrikaners were allowed to apply directly online in November 2025.

The move follows President Donald Trump’s public statements linking Afrikaner resettlement to claims of persecution in South Africa, which some outlets describe as allegations of a “white genocide.” South African officials and the South African government dispute these claims, saying the allegations are unfounded and that the country is working to address historical injustices.

Outlets differ mainly in emphasis: some focus on the research-and-advertising costs and the practical goal of identifying barriers to applications, while others stress the disputed framing around persecution. Across coverage, the proposal is presented as an attempt to collect data on low uptake rather than to immediately change policy.