Trump Administration Plans Record-Low Refugee Cap, Prioritizes White South Africans

President Trump plans to set the 2026 U.S. refugee admissions cap at 7,500, down from 125,000 under President Biden.
The policy prioritizes white South Africans of Afrikaner descent, citing claims of persecution and violence in South Africa.
This would be the lowest refugee cap since the U.S. refugee program began in 1980.

In January 2025, Trump froze all refugee admissions, stating they must serve the "national interest."
A February 2025 executive order prioritized Afrikaner refugees, citing "racial discrimination and violence" in South Africa.
The program is called Mission South Africa, and 138 Afrikaner refugees had arrived by September 2025.

The cap was detailed in a presidential determination dated September 30, 2025.
Congressional consultation was delayed due to a government shutdown.
Discussions earlier considered a cap of 40,000, but the final planned figure is 7,500.

Afrikaners make up ~7% of South Africa's population, but hold most farmland and significantly more wealth than the Black majority.
Trump's administration claims they face "genocide," a claim rejected by South Africa’s government.
Afrikaner applicants are being expedited while others face multi-year waits.

John Slocum, Refugee Council USA: “Jeopardizing people’s lives, separating families, and undermining our national security and economic growth.”
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa denied persecution claims in a May 2025 meeting with Trump.
Trump showed Ramaphosa a video of alleged attacks on white farmers; the "white genocide" narrative has been widely discredited.

Humanitarian groups called the plan a “moral failure” and criticized it for leaving vetted refugees from countries like Afghanistan and Sudan stranded.
Democrats accused Trump of white nationalism and historical revisionism.
Trump supporters praised the move as protecting persecuted Christians and favoring "culturally compatible" immigrants.
South African government denies claims of racial persecution, citing economic inequality as the real issue.
International media highlighted a shift from Biden’s refugee policies and questioned U.S. human rights consistency.

The reduced cap may leave tens of thousands of vetted refugees in limbo, especially from conflict zones.
Experts warn of a collapse in refugee infrastructure and potential legal challenges due to lack of congressional consultation.
The administration is promoting a global rollback of asylum protections, presented at the UN in September 2025.