The first group of White South African refugees arrived in the U.S. on Monday under President Trump's executive order mandating they be prioritized for resettlement — even as the broader refugee program remains largely on hold.
The expedited reviews that took months, were brought to the U.S. on a government-chartered flight, and were greeted at Dulles International Airport by federal officials — all unconventional steps for the refugee resettlement program, which can take years to process.
The admission has drawn scrutiny from resettlement agencies in the U.S., who've have faced , resource, and personnel cuts since Trump took office.
Among his first executive actions, Trump temporarily paused the refugee resettlement program. Various agencies including the State Department have also paused disbursing funding for the Afrikaners are poised to receive.
The pause sent the refugee resettlement agencies into turmoil as refugees already cleared to arrive in the U.S. received notice their flights had been cancelled.
Among those left in limbo were , a move that even some Republicans have criticized. Judges have ordered the government to for those who had already been approved to travel, but the .
Episcopal Church ends refugee partnership
The Episcopal Church on Monday announced it would terminate its partnership with the government to resettle refugees, citing moral opposition to resettling white Afrikaners.
Episcopal Migration Ministries said it had been notified by the federal government that it was expected to resettle some of the refugees.
"It has been painful to watch one group of refugees, selected in a highly unusual manner, receive preferential treatment over many others who have been waiting in refugee camps or dangerous conditions for years," wrote the presiding bishop of the church, adding that others including the Afghans and Christians fleeing persecution have been denied refuge.
Trump, his South African-born adviser Elon Musk, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio about what they say is persecution Afrikaners — — face in South Africa.
"What's happening in South Africa fits the textbook definition of why the refugee program was created," Deputy Chief of Staff told reporters last week. "This is persecution based on a protected characteristic, in this case, race. This is race-based persecution."
Miller doubled down on the administration's efforts to limit the broader refugee program.
"The U.S. Refugee Program has been a catastrophic failure," he said of past administrations' application of the program. Trump's changes, he continued, are "an example of the president returning the refugee program to what it was intended to do."
More Afrikaners eligible for resettlement
On Monday, the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in South Africa about the refugee admissions program for "for Afrikaners and disfavored minorities in South Africa who are victims of unjust racial discrimination," indicating this cohort is the first of more to come.
To be eligible for resettlement consideration individuals must be of South African nationality, be of Afrikaner ethnicity or a member of a racial minority in the country, and must be able to articulate a past experience of persecution or fear of future persecution.
One of the agencies assisting with resettlement is the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. They are providing services to 14 Afrikaners across Idaho, Iowa and North Carolina.
"We'll continue to do our part regardless of country of origin," Eskinder Negash, USCRI President and CEO, said in a statement to NPR. "We are hopeful that the arrival of this group of refugees indicates the government's intention to restart the U.S. refugee program and help other refugees in need of resettlement services."
—With assistance from Jack Jenkins of Religion News Service
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