The Trump administration has announced a drastic reduction in the number of refugees allowed into the United States, capping admissions at 7,500 for the next year the lowest in American history. The policy, published in an official notice, states that refugee slots will be “primarily allocated to Afrikaner South Africans and other victims of unjust discrimination in their homelands.”
The move marks a sharp reversal from the 125,000 cap set by former President Joe Biden, sparking outrage among refugee advocates who accuse Washington of politicising the programme. President Trump defended the decision as necessary to protect US resources and security, saying the United States must prioritise “its ability to absorb migrants without compromising safety.”
Earlier this year, Trump suspended the US Refugee Admissions Programme (USRAP) and announced plans to grant asylum to members of South Africa’s white Afrikaner community — descendants of Dutch and French settlers. The White House has argued that Afrikaners face discrimination and attacks in South Africa, a claim the South African government has strongly rejected.
Tensions flared during a May meeting between Trump and President Cyril Ramaphosa, where Trump claimed white farmers were being “persecuted.” The South African leader dismissed the allegations as “false and exaggerated,” calling them a distraction from broader national issues.
Refugee rights organisations have condemned the policy. Global Refuge CEO Krish O’Mara Vignarajah said the decision “doesn’t just lower the refugee ceiling it lowers America’s moral standing.” Refugees International added that prioritising one ethnic group “makes a mockery of refugee protection and American values.”
The policy has already triggered criticism from US allies and humanitarian groups, who warn that it effectively shuts the door on refugees from war-torn regions like Afghanistan, Sudan, and Venezuela. The South African government has yet to issue an official response to the latest announcement.
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