A resettlement initiative targeting white South Africans has collided with one of America's strictest new driving requirements, forcing hundreds to flee the state and raising questions about the practical challenges of an unconventional immigration program.
Since the Trump administration launched its dedicated refugee resettlement program for white South Africans last February, roughly 6,300 people have entered the United States. Ohio has absorbed 206 Afrikaners, making it a major resettlement hub for a population largely descended from Dutch settlers and French Huguenots. The administration has pledged to increase annual refugee slots for South Africans by 10,000.
But arrival in the heartland has proven far messier than anticipated. Last June, Ohio's Republican-controlled legislature imposed stringent new driving rules for lawful residents without citizenship or green card status. The requirements demand eight hours of instruction at an approved driving school, 24 hours of classroom instruction, and 50 hours of supervised driving before taking an exam. The total cost runs about $500 and can stretch across nine months, a stark contrast to the weeks previously required.
The barrier has proven devastating. Resettlement agencies estimate roughly half of South African arrivals have already left Ohio, with transportation barriers cited as a primary reason. Many lack the funds or stability to complete the lengthy and expensive licensing process, leaving them unable to drive to food banks or secure employment.
"A lot of them are out-migrating," said Katelyn Recicar of the International Welcome Center, an Akron-based nonprofit assisting 50 to 70 South Africans annually since 2024. "In the past, we had it happen usually if specifically someone had a family member in another state to support them. But now it's pretty much because of the driving."
The driving regulations are only part of a larger financial squeeze. The Trump administration reduced federal refugee cash assistance from 12 to four months. With virtually all new refugees now arriving from South Africa rather than traditional crisis zones, the cuts have hit this population particularly hard. Nearly all 6,069 refugees admitted to the U.S. since October 1st are South African.
Faced with mounting costs and dwindling government support, Ohio's South African community has launched grassroots fundraising. One crowdfunding campaign raised more than $10,000 by mid-May specifically to cover rent after government assistance expires and to help pay for driver's licenses.
Beyond Ohio, reports indicate broader struggles. At least four South Africans have returned home due to illness in the family or second thoughts about American life. Others have cited housing instability in Michigan and safety concerns in Denver.
One South African woman who arrived in March with her children said she fled a country where crime and government persecution made daily life frightening, though she acknowledged not experiencing specific personal attacks. Her monthly rent of $1,950 stretches a refugee stipend to breaking point, and she complained that resettlement agencies provided minimal support. Still, she credited her American community with unexpected warmth and helpfulness.
Ohio authorities say they have received no direct complaints from refugees about financial hardship or plans to return home. A spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services declined to speculate on the scope of the problem.
The program has already fractured relationships between the government and traditional refugee resettlement partners. The Episcopal Church announced it would end its work with the federal refugee effort, citing concerns that prioritizing South Africans conflicted with the "church's steadfast commitment to racial justice and reconciliation."
Conservative backers of the South African program, meanwhile, have been critical of Ohio's driving rules. One prominent YouTuber called the restrictions "deeply discriminatory" and called on state authorities to reverse course.
Author James Rodriguez: "The administration's bold promise to resettle thousands of South Africans is crumbling on the hard ground of state-level red tape and a refugee assistance budget stretched thinner than ever."
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