AFRIKANER Act

This bill directs the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, to designate specific residents of South Africa as Priority 2 refugees of special humanitarian concern . This designation applies to members of the Caucasian minority group who have suffered or have a well-founded fear of persecution based on their race, ethnicity, or ancestry, along with their spouses, children, and parents. The processing of these individuals for refugee classification may occur either within South Africa or in a third country. Eligibility for admission as a refugee under this act cannot be denied primarily because an applicant qualifies as an immediate relative of a U.S. citizen or is eligible for other immigrant classifications. Additionally, applicants cannot be denied primarily due to politically motivated arrests, detentions, or other adverse government actions related to their race, ethnicity, or ancestry. Aliens granted refugee status under this section will be excluded from numerical limitations on immigration. The bill also mandates that the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security submit regular reports to Congress, detailing application numbers, average wait times for various processing stages, and reasons for application denials. These reports, which may include a classified annex, must be made publicly available online by the Department of State.