After President Donald Trump signed an executive order recognizing White South Africans as victims of racial discrimination, 49 of them mostly Afrikans, have arrived in America as refugees.
The group, including children and adults, arrived at an airport hangar near Washington were flown in on a government-chartered plane and are reportedly receiving housing, groceries, and other resettlement support, AP News reports.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau welcomed them. “I want you all to know that you are really welcome here and that we respect what you have had to deal with these last few years,” he said.
Some Afrikans However rejected Trump’s offer. In a video circulating, one of the Afrikanner group leader stated that, they may not disagree with some of the government policies but they are Africans and will not leave their country to become refugees in a foreign country.
The Trump administration granted refugee status to 59 white South Africans, citing alleged violence and discriminatory policies, including affirmative action and land expropriation laws targeting Afrikaners which South Africa’s government denies.
Earlier that day, Donald Trump defended the decision, citing what he called a “genocide” against white farmers in post-apartheid South Africa. He claimed they are “being killed” and vowed to discuss the issue with South African leaders next week.
South Africa’s government dismissed the allegations as “completely false,” attributing them to misinformation and highlighting that Afrikaners remain among the wealthiest and most successful demographics in the country.
