A group of 59 white South Africans, mostly Afrikaners, landed in the United States after granted refugee status. The Trump administration accelerated their applications, citing fears about racial discrimination and violence, according to BBC.

The South African government responded, claiming that there was no evidence of such persecution. Human rights organizations also condemned the move, pointing out that refugee admissions for many other groups, including those from crisis zones, had been halted under current US immigration policy.

The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) stated that it was not involved in the vetting process, which is common in such circumstances, BBC reported.

The action has strained US-South African relations, with President Cyril Ramaphosa allegedly denying the assessment  in a call with President Trump.