U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio<\/a> said Tuesday he would revoke U.S. visas or reject visa applications from foreign nationals found to be responsible for, or complicit in, enacting or enforcing laws and policies that allow for uncompensated land seizures, race-based discrimination and the incitement of violence against minority ethnic and racial groups in South Africa.<\/p>\n \u201cThe United States will not allow such behavior to go unchecked,\u201d Rubio said in a statement. \u201cThese actions directly undermine peace, economic stability, and the rule of law, and they are incompatible with the pillars of America\u2019s foreign policy.\u201d<\/p>\n The South African government has strongly rejected U.S. allegations<\/a> of discrimination against whites, calling the claims made by the administration since President Donald Trump returned to office last year baseless and a result of misinformation.<\/p>\n Rubio did not identify any officials who would be targeted with the travel restrictions, though a lobby group for minority whites<\/a> in South Africa has previously called for the U.S. to sanction officials of the African National Congress party, the party of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa<\/a> and the largest in South Africa\u2019s Parliament.<\/p>\n It\u2019s the latest move by the Trump administration to sanction South Africa over its claims that whites, and especially the Afrikaner group<\/a>, are being discriminated against by their Black-led government. Afrikaners are descended from mainly Dutch and French colonial settlers who first came to South Africa in the 17th century. They were at the heart of South Africa\u2019s previous apartheid system of racial segregation.<\/p>\n There are approximately 4.5 million white people in South Africa\u2019s population of 62 million, which also includes whites with British or other heritage.<\/p>\n The U.S. has cited a contentious South African law<\/a> that allows for the expropriation of unused private land without compensation in some circumstances, affirmative action policies that advance opportunities for Blacks and others, and a small number of violent crimes against white farmers<\/a> as evidence of a larger anti-white stance in South Africa.<\/p>\n The Trump administration has also strongly criticized South Africa\u2019s move to accuse U.S. ally Israel of genocide<\/a> against Palestinians in Gaza, in a highly emotive case at the United Nations\u2019 top court. Israel vehemently denies that allegation.<\/p>\n South Africa asks the U.S. to respect its sovereignty<\/p>\n South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola said Wednesday that some of the domestic policies that the U.S. had branded as discriminatory were designed to address the injustices of apartheid and hundreds of years of colonial rule before that, when Black people were stripped of their rights.<\/p>\n \u201cSouth Africa respects that the United States may hold differing views on certain policy measures and their implementation. \u2026 The people of South Africa likewise respect the right of the American people to develop legislation that addresses their own circumstances,\u201d Lamola said in a statement. \u201cWe expect that the same respect will be accorded to the people of South Africa, as the principle of sovereignty requires.\u201d<\/p>\n The U.S. says more sanctions will follow<\/p>\n The U.S. has enforced a series of other sanctions against South Africa during Trump\u2019s second term for purported anti-white and anti-American policies. They include barring South African officials<\/a> from meetings of the Group of 20 economic bloc this year in the U.S., and phasing out aid for South Africa\u2019s HIV treatment program<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"President](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Trump_Ireland__5146_14227a.jpg\")
President Donald Trump speaks with reporters before boarding Air Force One at Shannon Airport, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Shannon, Ireland. (AP Photo\/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
\nIt\u2019s the latest U.S. move to sanction South Africa<\/p>\n![\"South](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/India_BRICS_593_6_45a797.jpg\")
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa attends a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, India, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. (Kristina Solovyova, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
\nThe Trump administration casts South Africa as anti-white<\/p>\n