South African refugee dies by suicide after struggling to settle in US

Houston, Texas – A 49-year-old South African woman who moved to the United States under its controversial refugee programme died by suicide just over two months after arriving in the country, amid struggles with loneliness, employment and mental health.

According to The Citizen, Carin Cilliers, from Bardene in Boksburg, Gauteng, arrived in the US on June 30 and was initially placed in San Andreas, California, before moving to Texas, where she had a US contact.

Cilliers had reportedly battled depression and had previously been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Her cousin, Yolandé Cilliers, said Carin had struggled with her new circumstances and had wanted to return to South Africa.

“I left because I feared for my life after several major traumatic events happened to me. One of those events also affected Carin,” Yolandé said.

The death has also raised questions about the mental-health support and screening available to South Africans entering the US refugee programme.

Breaking News : Afrikaner Refugee Dies in US After Just 2 Months
Carin Cilliers, 49, a South African Afrikaner refugee, left Boksburg on June 30 hoping for a new life in the US.
She had run her own business in South Africa and was a passionate horse lover.
Just over two… pic.twitter.com/g5s90Tc0hZ

— Mzansi Farmer (@MzansiFarmer) September 11, 2026

Lianda Alkema, a South African refugee and recruiter based in Texas, told The Citizen that mental illness does not automatically disqualify applicants.

“The programme does not discriminate against mental illnesses,” Alkema said.

Psychologist Dr Hermann Liebenberg said the challenges of adjusting to a new country should not be underestimated, particularly for people arriving without an established support network.

“We must understand that expectations and American culture are different from those in South Africa,” he said, urging newcomers to connect with people who share their culture and beliefs. “They will become your anchor, especially if you are alone.”

Employment was another reported difficulty. Despite Cilliers having what Alkema described as “a very impressive CV”, finding work proved challenging.

She packed her whole life into a suitcase and a prayer.

Carin Cilliers was 49. From Boksburg, South Africa. She had a business. She loved horses. She was the kind of woman who built something with her own hands and still felt the ground shaking under her in South Africa.

So she… pic.twitter.com/j0HF9pQzuR

— Alice VL (@RiseAgainstEvil) September 11, 2026

“I usually tell the refugees that the perfect job does not come overnight,” Alkema said, adding that many newcomers have to “start at the bottom and work yourself up the ranks again”.

The experience reflects a broader challenge facing thousands of South Africans who have relocated to the US under the Trump administration’s refugee policy.

Reuters reported in May that the US had increased its 2026 refugee admissions ceiling from 7,500 to 17,500, specifically citing an alleged “emergency refugee situation” involving white South Africans, predominantly Afrikaners.

South Africa has rejected the US administration’s claims of systemic persecution.

According to The Associated Press, at least  6,000 South Africans had moved to the US under the programme by May, while South African officials and Afrikaner organisations disputed the Trump administration’s characterisation of the situation as a humanitarian emergency.

Meanwhile, The Washington Post reported that more than 6,000 refugees admitted to the US since October 2025 had come from South Africa, with the majority being white Afrikaners. The report highlighted the differing experiences of these newcomers as they adjust to life in the US.

Picture: Pixabay

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Compiled by Betha Madhomu

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