Refugee Program Shrinks to 7,500 Slots Under New Trump Admin Policy Favoring White South Africans

The United States will admit no more than 7,500 refugees in fiscal year 2026, with most slots expected to go to white South Africans, according to a notice published Thursday in the Federal Register.

The limit represents a steep reduction from last year's 125,000-person ceiling and offers no detailed justification beyond stating the cap is "justified by humanitarian concerns or is otherwise in the national interest."

The move follows reporting earlier this month by The New York Times that revealed the administration was preparing to slash refugee admissions while prioritizing applicants from white South African communities, particularly Afrikaners. Internal planning documents described by the news site indicated a broader policy shift, recommending preference for English speakers and Europeans who express opposition to mass migration.

The materials envisioned a refugee program centered on "assimilation," including instruction on U.S. history and values. The documents also suggested prioritizing Europeans who had been "targeted for peaceful expression of views online," such as support for populist parties in Europe. Officials further proposed limiting refugee resettlement in U.S. communities where immigrant populations are already high and canceling existing applications already in the pipeline.

Refugee admissions were previously suspended, and the administration has publicly emphasized offers of priority to Afrikaners. Officials have claimed that white South Africans face persecution, though South African authorities and available crime statistics dispute that white citizens are disproportionately targeted compared to other groups.

Since January, the Trump administration has steadily elevated white South Africans within its immigration and foreign-policy agenda. The U.S. suspended most foreign aid to South Africa in March, citing alleged discrimination against white minorities, and declared South Africa's ambassador persona non grata later that month.

Senior officials have repeatedly highlighted Afrikaner communities when discussing refugee protections, while critics say the policy reflects a racialized approach to humanitarian admissions.

Consulted by The New York Times, Barbara L. Strack, a former chief of the refugee affairs division at Citizenship and Immigration Services during the Bush, Obama and Trump administrations, said the proposals reveal an underlying belief about "who are the true Americans," arguing that the shift is driven less by humanitarian need than by ideological and demographic preferences.