U.S President Donald Trump

A second group of white South Africans has arrived in the United States under a refugee resettlement program introduced by former President Donald Trump, according to officials and advocacy groups.

The latest group, consisting of nine individuals, including families, landed last week in Atlanta, said Jaco Kleynhans, head of international liaison at the Solidarity Movement—an organization representing Afrikaners, a white South African minority.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy confirmed to the Associated Press that white South Africans continue to arrive via commercial flights as part of the “Afrikaner resettlement program.” This follows the arrival of 59 white South Africans last month on a chartered flight to Dulles International Airport in Virginia.

The Trump administration launched the program after suspending other refugee admissions. It claimed that white South Africans, particularly Afrikaners, face racially motivated persecution under their Black-led government. However, South African officials have rejected these claims as misrepresentations of the country’s broader violent crime challenges, which affect all racial groups.

The U.S. now considers applicants who are part of South Africa’s racial minorities and can demonstrate past persecution or a credible fear of future persecution. South Africa’s white population is about 4.5 million, with Afrikaners—descendants of mainly Dutch and French settlers—numbering around 2.7 million in a population of 62 million.

Kleynhans said there have been around 8,000 applications for resettlement, while other organizations report tens of thousands of applicants. The U.S. Embassy said it continues to assess inquiries and is scheduling interviews with qualified individuals.