African defends refugee status in the US

Last week, 46-year-old Charles Kleynehus lived on his family farm in Mpumalangu province, South Africa. With its colorful beauty, wildlife and deep canyons, it is known as “the place where the sun rises.”

His new home – so far is a budget hotel near the American highway.

He and dozens of other white South Africans were transferred to the US with contradictory President Donald Trump’s policy on the defense of their discrimination, which he claims to face – the accusation is that South Africa is rejecting.

Mr. Kleinhaus defends the US president, reporting the BBC that he left his homeland after receiving death threats in WhatsApp reports.

“I had to leave a five-room house I was now losing,” says Mr. Kleinhous BBC, adding that he also left behind a car, dogs and even mother. “I didn’t come here for pleasure,” he adds.

The contrast in the homes may not be brighter. But for Mr. Kleinhus, his situation in Buffalo, New York, is already the best. “My children are safe,” says Mr. Kleinhous, whose wife died in a road accident in 2006.

The status of white South African farmers has long been a cohesive shout on the right and extremely right -wing American policy.

Trump and his close ally, born in South Africa, Elon Musk, even claimed that white farmers were “genocide” in South Africa – a statement that was widely discredited.

In February, Trump signed an executive order provided by African refugees, such as Mr. Kleinehus, who, he said, is being persecuted.

Mr. Kleinhous-one from 59, which arrived on Tuesday at Dallez Airport, near Washington, after Trump’s administration quickly monitored its statements.

He admits he was surprised at how quickly he reached the US and that he is grateful to Trump. “I felt that someone was finally seeing what was happening in this world,” he says.

When he and his family came to the airport, they were met with red, white and blue balls. He describes pompous and the ceremony as “preferred”.

Africans are a white ethnic minority that ruled South Africa in the apartheid era, pursuing racist segregation policy in the country until the regime was officially abolished in 1994.

But for more than 30 years, black farmers have only a small part of the country’s best agricultural land, most in white hands.

This has led to anger about the slow pace of changes. Mr. Kleinehus admits that the Black South Africans suffered the same way.

But he says, “I had nothing to do with apartheid. Nothing, nothing, nothing.”

In January, South Africa President Kirill Ramaphos signed a conflicting law that allows the government to seize private land without compensation – under certain circumstances, if considered “fair interest”.

The South African government states that the land has not yet been confiscated. But Mr. Kleinehus says that after the government’s statement is available on your land, as he says, it becomes impossible.

“Your land becomes insignificant – the expropriation of the earth has gone too far,” he says. “People are afraid of this. Other Africans who criticize us live in the bubble.”

Some comrades -the Africanians described Mr. Kleinhus as an opportunist, and that he was a victim of the crime is not equivalent to the pursuit -friendly type.

Mr. Kleinehus admits that the level of murder of farmers is low in South Africa, but says he doesn’t want to be a victim. “There are people who were shot in my area,” he says.

He says he received threats from the members of the local community: “I regularly receive messages on WhatsApp, saying,” We will get rid of you, you are on my earth. “

Mr. Kleinehus says he received one message before he went to the US, who read: “We are following you, better wake up.”

He also says his agricultural machinery was damaged and that the local police did not act in their reports.

Ramaphos called the group traveling to the United States, saying that they did not want to turn to the inequality of the apartheid era.

“Like the South African, we are stable,” he said earlier this week. “We do not run away from our problems. We must stay here and solve our problems.”

What makes the relocation of Africans in the US is particularly controversial, it is that other refugees were banned, including Afghans who have deleted their temporary status earlier this week.

The Internal Security Department (DHS) said the step was justified because the security and economic situation in Afghanistan improved – despite criticism from opposition lawmakers and rights.

Mr. Kleinehus says he is compassionate: “I mean, I’m sorry Afghans that they can’t get here. But I know there is a process. And I know when and when you are approved for this process, they care about you.”

Is he worried that it is used as a Trump’s political pawn? And what other president can potentially change this decision in four years?

Mr. Kleinhus stops and says, “Yes, I think it’s scary, but I am a religious person. Just in this first group is the act of God, I believe because there was 0.0 percentage that you were chosen for the first call.”

Mr. Kleinehus was closely overlooked for anti -Semitic positions in social media, which have been removed since then.

Discussing one of them, he says he copied and stood up into other people’s thoughts, and that he was introduced to Morphine as part of medical treatment at the time – although he admitted that it was not an excuse.

The message in 2023 was made at the time of anger, he adds, seeing the video – not proven BBC – which allegedly showed that some Jews spit on Christians in Israel.

Mr. Kleinehus insists that the comments were characteristic of one moment, not a broader commentary on Jewish people. “Even now, when I see that anyone is going against my religion, I oppose it,” he said.

The US Government faces questions about the process of checking those who relocate them. The UN Refugee Agency has informed the BBC that it is not involved in the check -up of Africans, as it will usually be for refugees heading to the United States.

Previously, the Internal Security Department (DHS) stated that it views the activity of social media for anti -Semitism of immigrants and using it as a cause of the applicants’ refusal.

The Trump administration refers to allegations of anti-Semitism as its officials have arrested and tried to deport pro-Palestinian activists in recent months.

In a statement by the BBC, the senior official DHS stated: “The Internal Security Department checks all applicants for refugees. Any claims to violation of the rules are carefully investigated and appropriate measures will be taken. DHS does not comment on the individual status status.”

Since returning to the Trump’s office, he has started repressions to reduce immigration more widely. So, Mr. Kleinhous is concerned about any return reaction to his group offered to enter the United States?

“People don’t have to think that we just use it,” he says. “We come here to contribute to the country.

“I don’t worry that it will fall apart because I believe this is God’s plan for me.

“My life is in his hands. And if he didn’t want me to come, I wouldn’t be here.”