Key points
- Priority given to white South Africans
- Sharp drop from Biden’s 125,000 limit
- Critics warn of humanitarian, security risks
WASHINGTON: The Trump administration is preparing to cut annual refugee admissions to just 7,500 people — the lowest ceiling in US history — while giving priority to white South Africans of Afrikaner descent, according to officials familiar with the plan. The move marks a dramatic reversal from the Biden-era cap of 125,000 and underscores Trump’s hardline approach to immigration and humanitarian protection, news agency Reuters reported.
If confirmed, this cap would represent a significant reduction from the 125,000 limit established last year under former President Joe Biden, reflecting Trump’s stringent stance on immigration and humanitarian protection, reports Reuters.
During his 2017-2021 presidency, Trump, a Republican, drastically reduced refugee admissions as part of a broader crackdown on both legal and illegal immigration. Upon returning to office in January 2025, he halted refugee admissions, stating they would only resume if deemed to be in the best interest of the United States.
Executive order
Weeks later, Trump issued an executive order giving priority to refugees from South Africa’s Dutch-descended Afrikaner minority, claiming the white minority group faced racial discrimination and violence in majority-Black South Africa. The South African government has dismissed these allegations.
The first group of 59 South African refugees arrived in May, with the total reaching 138 by early September, according to Reuters.
The White House, State Department, and Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the proposed 7,500-person refugee ceiling for fiscal year 2026, which began on Wednesday, reports The New York Times.
Governing humanitarian migration
John Slocum, executive director of Refugee Council USA, called on other elected officials to pressure Trump to increase refugee admissions, stating that such a low limit would be “jeopardizing people’s lives, separating families, and undermining our national security and economic growth.”
Previously, Trump officials had considered annual refugee admission levels between 40,000 and 60,000, Reuters reported in recent months.
At a side event during last week’s United Nations General Assembly, senior Trump administration officials urged other countries to join a global effort to roll back asylum protections — a major shift aimed at reshaping the post-World War Two framework governing humanitarian migration.
