White South African refugees arrive at Dulles

South Africans given refugee status arrive at Dulles Airport

A group of 49 white South Africans that were granted refugee status by the Trump administration arrived in Dulles Monday afternoon.

WASHINGTON - A group of 49 white South Africans that were granted refugee status by the Trump administration arrived in Dulles Monday afternoon. 

What we know:

The group, which includes families and small children, are the first Afrikaners — a white minority group in South Africa — to be relocated after U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Feb. 7 accusing South Africa’s Black-led government of racial discrimination against them and announcing a program to offer them relocation to America.

The South African government said it is "completely false" that Afrikaners are being persecuted.

Federal officials Monday from the Department of State and Homeland Security at Dulles welcomed what they called "refugee families" and promised to help with housing, furniture, food, clothing and needs as they relocate here to the United States.

"The president made it clear that Afrikaners in South Africa, who are the victims of just racial discrimination, would be welcome to come to the United States and he’s now delivering on that promise" said Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau.

Dig deeper:

The Trump administration has fast-tracked their applications while pausing other refugee programs, halting arrivals from Afghanistan, Iraq, most of sub-Saharan Africa and other countries in a move being challenged in court.

Refugee groups have questioned why the white South Africans are being prioritized ahead of people from countries wracked by war and natural disasters. Vetting for refugee status in the U.S. often takes years.

The Trump administration says the South African government is pursuing racist, anti-white policies through affirmative action laws and a new land expropriation law it says targets Afrikaners’ land. The government says those claims are based on misinformation and there is no racism against Afrikaners and no land has been expropriated, although the contentious law has been passed and is the focus of criticism in South Africa.

South Africa also denies U.S. claims that Afrikaners are being targeted in racially motivated attacks in some rural communities. Instead, the South African government said Afrikaners — who are the descendants of Dutch and French colonial settlers — are "amongst the most economically privileged" in the country.

What's next:

The flight will be the first in a "much larger-scale relocation effort," White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller told reporters on Friday. Miller said that what was happening to Afrikaners in South Africa "fits the textbook definition of why the refugee program was created."

"This is persecution based on a protected characteristic — in this case, race. This is race-based persecution," he said.

The HHS Office for Refugee Resettlement was ready to offer them support, including with housing, furniture and other household items, and expenses like groceries, clothing, diapers and more, a document obtained by The Associated Press said. The document said the relocation of Afrikaners was "a stated priority of the Administration."