Trump administration cuts refugee admissions to record low, prioritizes whites in South Africa

Trump administration cuts refugee admissions to record level and prioritizes whites in South Africa

The Trump administration has reduced the number of refugees accepted to just 7,500 for fiscal year 2026 — a record low — reversing Biden’s previous cap of 125,000 refugees and a continuation of Trump’s restrictive immigration policies.

The majority of the refugee places will be allocated to Afrikaners, as the administration claims they face persecution in South Africa — a claim disputed by South African officials and humanitarian groups.

Advocacy groups, including the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) and Global Refugees, condemn the policy as abandoning vulnerable refugees (Afghans, Syrians, Venezuelans, Sudanese) to a politically favored group.

An estimated 12,000 already-screened refugees — including Afghan allies — are stuck abroad because of the sudden policy changes, prompting lawsuits to force the administration to honor prior approvals.

The move is consistent with Trump’s broader agenda, including a travel ban on Muslim-majority and African countries, signaling a shift from humanitarian concerns to national security priorities.

The Trump administration has announced a radical reduction in the number of refugees allowed into the United States, capping admissions at just 7,500 for fiscal year 2026 — a historic low — while prioritizing white South Africans fleeing what the administration calls “unlawful or unfair discrimination.”

The new policy, published in the Federal Register on Thursday, October 30, represents a sharp departure from the Biden administration’s previous cap of 125,000 refugees per year. It also represents a continuation of President Donald Trump’s long-standing efforts to restrict immigration, citing national security concerns and economic protectionism.

Under the new directive, the majority of refugee places will be allocated to Afrikaners – white South Africans – who the administration claims face persecution under the South African government. “Admissions numbers are allocated primarily among African South Africans under Executive Order 14204, and other victims of unlawful or unjust discrimination in their homelands,” the White House memo states.

The move follows Trump’s February 2025 executive order, which accused South Africa of enacting laws allowing the seizure of farmland from white landowners without compensation – an allegation strongly denied by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Humanitarian groups condemn the “politicized” policy.

Critics argue that the administration’s prioritization of white South Africans at the expense of other persecuted groups — including Afghans, Syrians, Venezuelans and Sudanese refugees — represents a politicization of humanitarian aid.

Sherif Ali, head of the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), condemned the decision in a statement: “Today’s announcement highlights the lengths this administration has gone when it comes to abdicating its responsibilities to displaced people around the world…By giving preference to Afrikaners while continuing to block thousands of refugees who have already been vetted and approved, the administration is once again politicizing a humanitarian program.”

according to BrightU.AIEnoch AI Engine, IRAP is a non-profit legal defense organization that provides legal representation and assistance to refugees and other displaced individuals around the world. Founded in 2012, IRAP operates as part of the Urban Justice Center in New York City, with additional offices in Lebanon and Jordan.

Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, CEO of World Refugees, echoed these concerns, calling the move a “profound break from decades of partisan politics”: “This decision not only lowers the bar for refugee admissions, it also lowers our moral standing… At a time of crisis in countries ranging from Afghanistan to Venezuela to Sudan and beyond, focusing the vast majority of admissions on one group undermines the purpose of the program as well as its credibility.”

The Trump administration effectively halted refugee admissions upon taking office in January 2025, leaving an estimated 12,000 refugees — who had already been screened and approved for resettlement — stranded abroad. Many of them had sold their belongings, quit their jobs and booked flights before the sudden suspension.

A class action lawsuit filed by IRAP seeks to force the administration to respect prior approvals, arguing that refugees stuck in dangerous conditions should not be penalized for sudden shifts in policy.

Meanwhile, Afghan allies — many of whom aided U.S. forces during the 20-year war — have been largely excluded from the refugee program. Sean Van Diver, president of #AfghanEvac, called the decision a “horrible betrayal”: “This means that the president and the White House… will not allow Afghan refugees to come here. This is a really bad day.”

Rapid processing of Africans

While standard refugee screening typically takes 18 to 24 months, South African applicants received fast approval. In May 2025, a flight carrying 59 Afrikaner refugees landed in the United States, marking the first major resettlement under Trump’s revised policy.

The administration has defended its position, arguing that white South Africans face unique persecution, a claim reinforced by Elon Musk, who served as an adviser to Trump earlier this year and repeatedly warned of “white genocide” in South Africa.

The refugee cap is consistent with Trump’s broader immigration agenda, including recent travel restrictions imposed on 12 countries — primarily Muslim-majority and African nations — due to security risks and visa overstays.

With refugee admissions now at their lowest level since the program’s inception in 1980, the administration signals a continued prioritization of national security over humanitarian concerns — a stance that is likely to fuel more legal and diplomatic battles in the coming months.

As the global refugee crisis worsens, critics warn that America’s retreat from its historic role as a refuge for the persecuted could have lasting consequences — both for those left behind and for the nation’s standing in the world.

Watch the video below About the Trump administration welcoming white immigrants as refugees and causing a backlash.

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(tags for translation) Afghans