The Trump administration has announced plans to reduce the number of refugees admitted to the United States to a record low of 7,500 for fiscal year 2026, marking a major shift from the previous 100,000 or more accepted annually under President Joe Biden.
According to a White House memorandum, the vast majority of this year’s refugees will be white South Africans and other individuals facing “illegal or unjust discrimination” in their home countries. The document specifies that admissions will be “primarily be allocated among Afrikaners from South Africa.”
President Trump—who campaigned on restoring border security and prioritizing American interests—had largely halted refugee admissions since taking office. However, he has made exceptions for white South Africans, a community that has faced growing insecurity and discrimination in their homeland—despite official denials from Pretoria.
The first group of around 50 Afrikaners arrived in the U.S. in May.
