The first 49 white South Africans deemed victims of racial discrimination and granted refugee status under an offer by U.S. President Donald Trump were flying to the U.S. on Monday in a move deepening frictions between the two nations.

Dozens of Afrikaners who claim discrimination in their home country left Johannesburg on Sunday. Their departure for the U.S. came as the Trump administration was halting virtually all refugee admissions.

A group of 49 white South Africans has departed their homeland for the United States on a private charter plane having been offered refugee status by the Trump administration.