President Donald Trump has reduced the intake of refugees entering the United States, prioritizing white individuals from South Africa over those escaping conflict and human rights violations. The Trump administration has set a cap as low as 7,500 refugee admissions for the 2026 fiscal year, a significant decrease from the 125,000 limit set by the Biden administration last year.
The decision to drastically lower the refugee numbers, as published in a notice on the Federal Register, marks a historic low since the inception of the refugee program in 1980. The new policy allocates admission primarily to the Afrikaner white minority from South Africa, with claims of facing discrimination and violence, including unfounded allegations of “genocide.”
Individuals fleeing persecution in Afghanistan, Sudan, Haiti, and other regions are no longer prioritized under the revised policy. Sharif Aly, president of the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), criticized the move, stating that the U.S. government is politicizing a humanitarian program and granting special privileges to Afrikaners. The IRAP is already challenging the Trump administration’s actions, including a previous executive order suspending the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
The decision has been met with criticism from various organizations, with concerns raised about the impact on the refugee program’s credibility and moral standing. The policy shift has been described as racist and a betrayal by advocacy groups, highlighting the disparity in treatment between different refugee groups. The reduction in refugee admissions and the focus on specific demographics have sparked controversy and condemnation from human rights advocates and refugee support organizations.