A group of 59 white South Africans has arrived in the United States, where they are set to receive refugee status.

Axar.az reports that President Donald Trump stated that the applications from members of South Africa’s Afrikaner minority were fast-tracked, citing “racial discrimination” as the reason.

The South African government rejected these claims, asserting that the group had not faced persecution severe enough to justify refugee status.

The decision has sparked criticism, especially in light of the Trump administration’s broader freeze on refugee admissions, including those fleeing conflict zones. Human Rights Watch condemned the move, calling it a “cruel racial twist” that left thousands of black and Afghan refugees without protection.