Worldview: Afrikaner family finds new start in Alabama under US refugee policy

Key topics: Afrikaner family resettles in Alabama under Trump refugee programPolicy grants expedited asylum to white South African minorityCritics raise concerns over exclusion of other refugee groups.Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here.Support South Africa’s bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here..By Kerry Lanaghan.Errol Langton and his extended Afrikaner family are among the first white South Africans to arrive in the United States under a controversial new refugee program enacted by President Trump. This policy grants expedited refugee status and a path to citizenship specifically for Afrikaners - South Africa's white minority population - because they face racial discrimination and threats of violence. The Langtons, who left their seaside hometown of Hibberdene, South Africa, landed in Birmingham, Alabama, and are now adjusting to life in the American South.Langton, 48, says his decision to leave was rooted in safety concerns for his family and deteriorating conditions for white farmers in South Africa. He recounted personal experiences of alleged threats and extortion from government inspectors, which he believes were racially motivated. While South African police data show that farm attacks have occurred, with both Black workers and white farmers among the victims, there is no statistical support for the claim of a white genocide. Nonetheless, Trump's framing of the issue has amplified attention on Afrikaners while sparking criticism over the administration's exclusion of other vulnerable refugee groups, such as Afghans, Venezuelans, and Syrians.Langton expressed deep gratitude for Trump’s actions and dismissed critics as politically motivated. He characterised the US refugee program as having historically prioritised different groups under different presidents, defending Trump’s focus on Afrikaners. Still, refugee aid organisations, like Inspiritus, which is assisting the Langton family in Birmingham, voiced hope that the move signals broader support for all displaced people awaiting entry to the US.Though jet-lagged and adjusting to their new environment, Langton’s family is slowly settling in. He is optimistic about beginning a new chapter in Alabama, drawn by the climate’s similarity to South Africa’s and the presence of extended family. While he intends to work in IT initially, Langton hopes to resume farming, perhaps raising chickens and running a small commercial operation.The story also touches on the political divide surrounding the policy. Langton, echoing conservative American views, praised Trump’s immigration stance and indicated he would likely support the Republican Party if he became a US citizen.Though the family’s relocation is still surreal, Langton expressed a growing affection for his new home, even as he remains mindful of the social and political tensions surrounding their arrival. For now, they are adjusting to a new life, hoping for stability, safety, and farming once again in the future.(This article is a précis of a piece originally published in The New York Times and can be read in full here.)

Worldview: Afrikaner family finds new start in Alabama under US refugee policy

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