Afrikaner Family Relocates from South Africa to Alabama Under New U.S. Refugee Policy

The Langton family of nine arrived in Birmingham, Alabama, feeling the effects of jet lag as they familiarized themselves with their new environment. Errol Langton, the head of this white South African family, spent much of his initial hours signing paperwork at a refugee assistance center.

While his granddaughter played quietly with toy blocks on the floor under the watchful eye of his eldest son, the family had recently finished a simple meal of noodles and planned to begin searching for apartments soon.

“It still feels unreal that we’re here,” said 48-year-old Langton in an interview approximately 40 hours after their arrival at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport. The Langtons were part of the first group of 59 South Africans admitted to the United States under a new refugee program aimed at Afrikaners, the white ethnic minority that once governed during apartheid.

Although the U.S. president initially suspended all refugee admissions upon taking office, he later established a special, accelerated pathway for Afrikaners citing claims of racial discrimination and violence against them.

Leaving behind their coastal hometown of Hibberdene in South Africa, the Langtons relocated thousands of miles away to a southern American city, where they already feel significantly safer. Joining Errol were his wife, their son, three daughters, a son-in-law, and two grandchildren.

A family connection in Birmingham influenced their choice of destination, along with other factors that made Alabama appealing for their fresh start.