The Trump administration is preparing a unique reception program for a group of Afrikaner refugees from South Africa. As part of their arrival in the United States, beneficiaries will receive welcome bags that include an Android tablet, an American flag, copies of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, as well as various educational materials with a conservative view of history and politics.

The New York Times, which had access to government documents and testimonies from officials familiar with the project, revealed that the initiative has generated debate due to the ideological content of some of the materials included in the package.

What does the package for refugees include?

In addition to technological and symbolic items, the bags will contain publications from PragerU, a conservative organization dedicated to the production of educational content. Among the materials, a children's book stands out that addresses the issue of so-called "reverse racism" in South Africa and that questions the policies implemented after the end of apartheid.

A copy of the 1776 Commission report will also be incorporated, promoted by Trump during his first term in response to the anti-racist protests of 2020. This document supports an interpretation of American history that minimizes the role of slavery in the founding of the country and criticizes some contemporary civil rights policies.

The official welcome of the Trump administration

Included inside the bag is a letter signed by Alex J. Adams, director of the Administration for Children and Families at the Department of Health and Human Services.

“The Trump administration understands that the US immigration system must prioritize the US citizen and only welcome those who integrate into the American lifestyle,” says the document cited by the aforementioned media.

The US government has not yet reported the total cost of the program or how much it will be financed with public resources. It is also not common for refugees to receive these types of welcome gifts upon entering the country.

Criticism for historical content

The initiative has also raised questions among specialists. Nancy Jacobs, a historian at Brown University and an expert on South Africa, shared with NYT that some of the materials present a “highly selective and even inaccurate” view of post-apartheid South African reality.

Meanwhile, the White House has not issued official comments on the criticism. The program is emerging as a new chapter in Trump's immigration policy, which has defended granting refuge to South African Afrikaners while maintaining restrictions for other groups of asylum seekers.

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