President Donald Trump of the United States has decided to cap the number of refugees the country will accept in one year at 7,500 and to give preferential treatment to white refugees from South Africa.
According to the Associated Press and other sources, the Trump administration on October 30 (local time) released a presidential memorandum outlining this decision through the Federal Register. The memorandum was dated September 30 of the previous month.
The Trump administration has set the refugee admission ceiling for the 2026 fiscal year (October 2025 to September 2026) at 7,500. The administration stated, "The allocated slots will primarily be distributed among Afrikaners from South Africa and other victims who have suffered illegal and unjust discrimination in their home countries."
Afrikaners are a group of Dutch white settlers who migrated to South Africa in the 17th century. The Trump administration claims that the South African government is persecuting them. In May, the administration also recognized these individuals as refugees and facilitated their resettlement in the United States through an unusually expedited review process.
The ceiling of 7,500 represents a 94% reduction from the 125,000 limit set by the previous Joe Biden administration for the 2025 fiscal year. According to Reuters and other outlets, this is the lowest figure on record.
The Associated Press noted, "This measure marks a significant turning point in refugee policy and aligns with the broader goals of the Republican administration to block the entry of foreigners deemed to pose a threat to national security or American jobs."
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