Partial Visa Restrictions Imposed on Foreign Nationals in South Africa! Rubio: Government Has Not Adequately Addressed Land and Racial Policy Concerns

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Tuesday (the 15th) that the U.S. government will impose new visa restrictions on certain foreign nationals in South Africa—specifically those whom the U.S. deems responsible for formulating or implementing laws and policies involving uncompensated land seizures, racially based discrimination, or incitement of imminent violence against minority or ethnic groups within South Africa.

In his statement, Rubio said the South African government has not adequately addressed prior concerns raised by the U.S., prompting Washington to activate the new visa restriction policy. The measure targets only "certain foreign nationals," not a blanket ban on all South African citizens. Reuters reported that neither the number of affected individuals nor a full list has been disclosed.

According to the U.S. State Department, the new measures focus on individuals in South Africa identified as being involved in the formulation or execution of such policies. Restricted activities include "uncompensated land seizure," "racial discrimination," and "incitement of imminent violence against minority or ethnic groups."

This announcement brings renewed attention to the already tense relationship between Washington and Pretoria. Reuters noted that U.S.-South Africa relations have deteriorated since the beginning of Trump’s second term, with the Trump administration repeatedly criticizing South Africa’s approach to addressing racial inequality.

One of the most contentious issues is South Africa’s land reform policy. The country passed a new land expropriation law this year, allowing the government to seize land in the public interest and, under specific conditions, without compensation. The South African government argues the law aims to correct historical land distribution imbalances left by colonialism and apartheid.

However, Reuters previously reported that, as of early 2025, the South African government had not yet seized any land under this law. The law requires authorities to first attempt to reach agreements with landowners before expropriation, and expropriation orders can be challenged in court. As such, the South African government denies allegations of arbitrary land confiscation.

Land reform has become a key factor in the deterioration of relations between the Trump administration and South Africa. In February 2025, Trump stated he would halt future aid to South Africa and called for investigations into land seizures and alleged unfair treatment of specific ethnic groups. U.S. government data at the time showed that American aid to South Africa in 2023 totaled nearly $440 million, with about $315 million allocated to HIV/AIDS-related programs.

Nonetheless, bilateral trade is more significant for South Africa than U.S. aid. Reuters previously reported that South Africa exported approximately $15 billion worth of goods to the U.S. in 2023, with about one-quarter benefiting from preferential tariffs under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The South African government estimates that AGOA-related exports account for about 2% of the country’s total exports.

The Trump administration has previously accused South Africa of persecution and violence against white farmers, but the South African government denies any systematic persecution of whites. A 2025 Reuters report indicated that South African police recorded 26,232 murder cases nationwide in 2024, with 44 cases linked to agricultural communities and eight farmer victims.

In May 2025, Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa met at the White House and publicly discussed land reform and the safety of white South Africans. Ramaphosa stated that while South Africa faces serious crime problems, the majority of crime victims are Black; the South African government continues to deny claims of genocide against whites.

The visa restrictions do not specify an effective date, the number of affected individuals, or individual names. Rubio’s statement mainly outlines the types of behaviors targeted, so it remains unclear how the U.S. government will define who is "responsible" or "co-responsible" for such laws and policies, or which visa categories will be restricted.

This move comes amid broader recent efforts by the U.S. to tighten certain visa policies. Just one day earlier, a federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s plan to limit the duration of stay in the U.S. for foreign students, exchange visitors, and journalists. The original rule would have limited F student visas and J exchange visitor visas to four years and I journalist visas to a maximum of 240 days, but the court ruled the policy cannot be implemented for now.

South Africa remains one of the United States’ key economic partners in Africa. Reuters notes that the U.S. is South Africa’s second-largest trading partner after China, meaning strained bilateral relations affect not only diplomacy and immigration policy but also trade, aid, and investment.