1. United States
2. Ill.
3. Letter

I am writing to express my deep alarm and disappointment over President Donald Trump’s recent immigration initiative that grants refugee status to white South Africans under the pretense of racial persecution. This policy is not only racially discriminatory—it is a gross misuse of our refugee system to promote a white nationalist agenda. At a time when countless refugees of color are being denied entry or protection—many fleeing war, political repression, and genuine systemic violence—it is unconscionable that the United States would selectively prioritize white immigrants from South Africa based on contested and politically charged narratives. This initiative is a glaring example of hypocrisy. Under the Trump administration, we have seen: Caps slashed for refugees from majority-Black and Muslim nations; Humanitarian protections denied to Haitians, Venezuelans, Afghans, and Central Americans; And now, a fast-track process created exclusively for a group that aligns ideologically and racially with the administration's base. This is not humanitarianism. It is racism, dressed up in the language of “protection.” I urge you to: Publicly oppose and investigate this program; Demand accountability and transparency around its criteria and execution; Uphold the values of equity and nondiscrimination in all aspects of U.S. immigration law. America’s credibility—both domestically and on the world stage—is being undermined by policies that echo white nationalist priorities and embolden global far-right movements. We need our elected officials to speak out and act—not to remain silent while this administration continues to tarnish the values we claim to stand for.