JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A second groupof white South Africanshas arrived in the United Statesunder a refugee programannounced by the Trump administration, officials and advocacy groups said Monday. Nine people, including families, arrived late last week, said Jaco Kleynhans, head of international liaison at the Solidarity Movement, a group representing members of South Africa's white Afrikaner minority. The group traveled on a commercial flight to Atlanta, he said. A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy said in an email to The Associated Press that "refugees continue to arrive in the United States from South Africa on commercial flights as part of the Afrikaner resettlement program's ongoing operations." An initial group of 59 white South Africansarrived at Dulles International Airport in Virginiaon a chartered flight last month under the new program announced by U.S.President Donald Trumpin February. The Trump administration fast-tracked the resettlement of white South Africans afterindefinitely suspending other U.S. refugee programs. The Trump administration said it is offering refugee status to white South Africansit alleges are being persecutedby their Black-led government and are victims of racially motivated violence. The South African government has denied the allegations and said they are a mischaracterization of the country. Trump has falsely claimed that white South African farmers are targeted inwidespread attacks that amount to genocideand are having their land taken away. Trumpconfronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosawith those baseless claims during a meeting at the White House last month. Ramaphosa has said the relatively small number of attacks on white farmers are part of South Africa's larger problems with violent crime, which affects all races. The Trump administration initially said the refugee program was aimed at members ofSouth Africa's Afrikaner minority, who are descendants of mainly Dutch and French colonial settlers. In new guidance published by the U.S. Embassy last month, applicants must be "a member of a racial minority" in South Africa and "must be able to articulate a past experience of persecution or fear of future persecution." There are approximately 2.7 million Afrikaners among South Africa's population of 62 million, which is more than 80% Black. They are not the only white minority. There are around 4.5 million whites in total, including those with British or other heritage. The U.S. Embassy spokesperson said the U.S. "continues to review inquiries from individuals who have expressed interest to the embassy in resettling to the United States and is reaching out to eligible individuals for refugee interviews and processing." While U.S. officials have not said how many South Africans have applied to be relocated, Kleynhans said there have been around 8,000 applications. Another group helping white South Africans apply for refugee status has said tens of thousands have applied. ___ AP Africa news:https://apnews.com/hub/africa
