Washington, D.C., October 6, 2025 — The Trump administration is reportedly finalizing plans to slash refugee admissions to 7,500 people for the 2026 fiscal year, marking the lowest ceiling in U.S. history. The new directive is said to give preference to white South Africans of Afrikaner descent, in a move that has ignited controversy both at home and abroad.
According to multiple officials familiar with the matter, the proposed refugee cap represents a sharp departure from the previous limit of 125,000 authorized in 2024 under former President Joe Biden. If implemented, the decision would signal a dramatic shift in America’s humanitarian commitments and reaffirm President Donald J. Trump’s longstanding hardline stance on immigration.
The policy, which has yet to be formally announced by the White House, is expected to take effect immediately after approval. The New York Times first reported the development, citing internal communications within the State Department and Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
A Radical Policy Shift
Since his return to the presidency in January 2025, Trump has moved swiftly to roll back immigration and refugee protections introduced by the previous administration. In February, he signed an executive order halting refugee admissions pending a “national interest review.” The order also directed federal agencies to prioritize applications from South Africa’s Afrikaner minority, whom Trump described as victims of “systemic racial violence and political marginalization.”
“America stands with all people facing persecution, and the Afrikaner community has suffered long enough,” Trump said during a February address at the White House.
However, South Africa’s government strongly rejected those claims, describing them as “false and politically motivated.” The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) stated that while South Africa continues to face isolated incidents of crime, “there is no evidence to suggest racial persecution against white farmers or Afrikaners.”
Early Arrivals and Implementation
According to reports, the first group of 59 Afrikaners arrived in the United States in May 2025, followed by additional groups that brought the total to 138 arrivals by early September. These individuals were reportedly resettled in Texas, Florida, and parts of the Midwest under a special humanitarian program facilitated by private sponsors.
While the White House has yet to comment publicly on the number of future arrivals, officials within DHS have hinted that more groups are expected to follow once the new admissions ceiling is approved.
Refugee advocates, however, have condemned the selective nature of the policy. John Slocum, Executive Director of Refugee Council USA, said the plan “jeopardizes lives, separates families, and undermines decades of American leadership in protecting vulnerable people.”
Slocum added, “This policy not only reduces our global standing but also risks encouraging racial preference in refugee admissions — something entirely inconsistent with international refugee law and American values.”
Criticism and Global Reactions
The move has drawn sharp criticism from human rights organizations, faith groups, and foreign governments, many of whom have expressed concern about the racial undertones of the policy.
“The U.S. is setting a dangerous precedent,” said Dr. Nadia Alam, a migration policy expert with the Brookings Institution. “Refugee resettlement decisions should be based on vulnerability and protection needs, not ethnicity or race. By prioritizing one group, Washington risks undermining the global refugee framework that has guided international cooperation since World War II.”
At the United Nations General Assembly in New York last month, senior Trump administration officials reportedly used a side event to call for a global rollback of asylum protections. The proposal — aimed at tightening migration controls and limiting refugee resettlement — was met with concern by several European and African representatives who argued that it would destabilize already fragile humanitarian systems.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), while refraining from directly criticizing the U.S., reaffirmed that “refugee status must be determined without discrimination of any kind, including race, religion, or nationality.”
A Return to “America First”
Analysts view the decision as part of President Trump’s broader effort to restore his signature “America First” agenda, a doctrine emphasizing national sovereignty, border security, and domestic priorities over multilateral humanitarian engagement.
During his first term (2017–2021), Trump reduced refugee admissions to record lows and implemented several controversial measures, including travel bans targeting predominantly Muslim nations. His latest policy, experts say, continues that trajectory — but with an even sharper focus on redefining who qualifies as a “deserving refugee.”
According to internal discussions reported by U.S. media outlets, administration officials had initially proposed a ceiling between 40,000 and 60,000 refugees. The eventual figure of 7,500 reflects a significant tightening of the policy and signals the administration’s determination to drastically curtail humanitarian entry into the country.
“The president believes the U.S. must prioritize national security, cultural integrity, and economic stability,” said one senior official speaking on condition of anonymity. “Our resources should focus on helping groups aligned with Western values and under genuine threat — like the Afrikaners.”
A Debate Over Race and Responsibility
Critics, however, argue that such language reveals an underlying racial bias in the administration’s refugee policy. Civil rights leaders have warned that the policy risks normalizing racial preference in federal decision-making.
“This is not about humanitarian protection — it’s about political optics,” said Rev. Alisha Grant, a spokesperson for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). “It sends a message that refugee status in the United States depends on skin color and political convenience rather than actual vulnerability.”
Some U.S. lawmakers have already pledged to challenge the measure in Congress. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut) described the policy as “a betrayal of America’s moral obligations and a blow to our global credibility.” He added that the refugee ceiling “represents a near-total abandonment of humanitarian responsibility.”
A Historic Low Point for Refugee Policy
If finalized, the 7,500-person limit would represent the most restrictive refugee cap in U.S. history — lower even than the 11,814 set in 2020 during Trump’s first term. For comparison, the United States admitted over 200,000 refugees annually during parts of the 1980s and 1990s.
Advocates warn that the steep cut will have far-reaching consequences. It could leave thousands of asylum seekers stranded in refugee camps across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, where U.S. resettlement programs have historically offered hope to those fleeing persecution and war.
“This policy risks closing America’s doors to people in desperate need,” said Maria Hernandez of the International Rescue Committee (IRC). “For decades, the U.S. led by example — now it’s leading in the opposite direction.”
A Divisive Legacy
As the debate intensifies, observers note that Trump’s approach to refugee policy continues to blend politics, ideology, and identity in ways that deeply divide American public opinion. Supporters hail his decision as a step toward protecting U.S. interests and restoring order to the immigration system, while opponents view it as a dangerous erosion of compassion and inclusivity.
Whether celebrated or condemned, the new refugee policy underscores a defining theme of Trump’s second presidency — one that seeks to reshape America’s relationship with the world by placing national identity at the center of humanitarian decision-making.
Reported by Africa Live News – Washington Bureau
