Are second batch of refugees ONLY white South Africans?
A second batch of South African 'refugees' has arrived in the US under President Donald Trump's resettlement programme. The offer is open to all 'racial minorities' in South Africa, including Afrikaners, who believe they have been persecuted.
But do the numbers reflect that?
According to reports, a second batch of 'refugees' arrived in the US last week. The group consists of nine white South Africans and their families.
Jaco Kleynhans, of the Afrikaner rights group Solidarity Movement, claimed that the group travelled on a commercial flight.
While it's not clear if other races will be included in the group, there has been speculation that many Afrikaners will be part of the programme.
Kleynhans told the media: 'Several more groups will fly to the USA over the next few weeks. The US Embassy in Pretoria, in collaboration with the State Department in Washington DC, is currently processing 8,000 applications. And we expect many more Afrikaner refugees to travel to the USA over the next few months.
'They are settling in states across the USA, but particularly southern states such as Texas, North and South Carolina, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska.'
He continued: 'Our primary focus is not refugee status for Afrikaners. But rather to find ways to ensure a free, safe, and prosperous future for Afrikaners in South Africa. We remain 100% convinced that South Africa can and must create a home for all its people.'
While many Afrikaners and white South Africans have seemingly been prioritised in the group, other smaller communities are also welcome to apply for refugee status in the US.
Last month, the US Embassy issued a statement detailing the resettlement programme, which was extended to 'racial minorities' in South Africa.
Despite initially being targeted at Afrikaner farmers and white people, US authorities have since included coloured, Indian, and 'mixed-race' South Africans.
Applicants must prove that they are 'persecuted' South Africans who are victims of 'racial discrimination'.
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