3 days ago
- Politics
- The South African
US department official says refugee programme is for 'white people'
A US Department of State official has reportedly confirmed that the refugee programme offered to South Africans was intended for white people, particularly Afrikaners.
In February, President Donald Trump signed an executive order granting minorities resettlement under the programme on the grounds of 'racial discrimination'.
Since then, two groups of Afrikaner people have arrived in the US, with more expected to follow.
According to Reuters , the US Department of State's Spencer Chretien, the highest-ranking official in the refugee and migration bureau, stated that the refugee programme was 'intended for white people'. Chretien had declined to comment further.
This throws into disrepute the Refugee Admission Programme's claim that it is open to all 'minorities'.
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'.
The US Embassy has updated its refugee status programme application, with an announcement that communication will be coordinated by RSC Africa, which manages all US-bound applicants from Africa.
This will include: Conducting intake and referral interviews
Collecting applicants' data and documentation
Requesting background checks
Scheduling USCIS interviews
Arranging for medical exams
Booking travel to the United States
Ultimately, the application will be reviewed and determined by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
The embassy has also detailed that the refugee status application would include several stages, as outlined in the diagram below. Image via US Embassy
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