WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has announced a sharp reduction in the number of refugees allowed into the United States, capping admissions at just 7,500 for the 2026 fiscal year — and indicating that most of those accepted will be white South Africans.
The policy, published Thursday in the Federal Register, marks a staggering drop from the 125,000 annual limit set under former President Joe Biden and represents the lowest refugee ceiling in modern U.S. history. The administration offered no detailed justification for the decision, saying only that the admissions are “justified by humanitarian concerns or are otherwise in the national interest.”
The move continues a broader pattern of restriction under Trump, who suspended the U.S. refugee resettlement program on his first day back in office. Since then, only a limited number of refugees — largely from South Africa’s white Afrikaner community — have been admitted, many through ongoing court orders that allow those already in transit to complete their applications.
The administration first announced a program in February granting refugee status to white South African farmers, claiming they face “discrimination and violence” in their home country. The South African government has strongly rejected that claim, accusing Washington of distorting the situation for political purposes.
Refugee advocacy organizations condemned the policy shift, calling it a blow to decades of U.S. leadership in humanitarian resettlement. Many agencies have already been forced to lay off staff and close offices as the number of arrivals dwindles.
The new limit effectively dismantles one of America’s most enduring bipartisan commitments — providing safe haven to those fleeing persecution — and signals a major shift toward a more selective, nationalist approach to immigration and refugee policy.