Trump administration lowers annual cap on refugee admissions

President Donald Trump's administration set a cap of 7,500 refugees for fiscal year 2026, prioritizing the admission of white South Africans, according to an official notice published Thursday in the Federal Register. In doing so, the White House sets the lowest level of the modern refugee program and sharply lowers the 125,000 ceiling that was in place last year under Joe Biden's administration.

The official document states that the quota is set "by humanitarian concerns or is otherwise in the national interest" and confirms that Afrikaners, mostly of Dutch settler descent,  will be the core group considered for resettlement. It also states that other persons suffering "illegal or unjust" discrimination could be eligible, without specifying which nationalities would fall under this criterion.

Priority of security and immigration control

The decision continues President Trump's immigration policy, focusing on strengthening national security, limiting the entry of foreigners considered potential risks and prioritizing specific cases. The administration has argued that its approach protects jobs, resources and homeland security.

The Afrikaner program was announced earlier this year, citing violence and discrimination against white farmers in South Africa. In fact, Trump signed an executive order stating that the South African government had enacted a law that allowed the "seizure of agricultural property from ethnic minority Afrikaners without compensation," demonstrating an "shocking disregard for the rights of its citizens."