Trump Administration Restricts Refugee Admissions to 7,500, Mostly White South Africans

The Trump administration has capped refugee admissions at 7,500 for the 2026 fiscal year, a dramatic decrease from the previous ceiling of 125,000 set by the Biden administration. The large majority of these refugees will be White South Africans, who have been experiencing violence and persecution in their home country. The decision was announced in a Federal Register notice without providing a reason for the low cap, citing only "humanitarian concerns" or the national interest as justification.

Key Takeaways:

The Trump administration has capped refugee admissions at 7,500 for the 2026 fiscal year, a 94% decrease from the previous ceiling of 125,000 set by the Biden administration.
The majority of refugees admitted under this new cap will be White South Africans, who are fleeing violence and persecution in their home country.
The decision to cap refugee admissions at such a low number is a blow to the long-standing program, which has historically enjoyed bipartisan support.
President Donald Trump suspended the program on his first day in office, and since then, only a trickle of refugees have entered the country.
Groups that help resettle newly arrived refugees have had to lay off staff as the number of people arriving under the program has plummeted.
The country's government denies claims that White South African farmers face discrimination and violence.

Statistics:

7,500: The number of refugees the Trump administration has capped admissions for in the 2026 fiscal year.
94%: The decrease in refugee admissions from the previous ceiling of 125,000 set by the Biden administration.
125,000: The previous ceiling of refugee admissions set by the Biden administration.
2026: The fiscal year for which the refugee admissions cap has been set.

Sources:

Associated Press (AP) (no dated publication)
Associated Press (AP) previously reported on the possible low cap for refugee admissions, citing administration officials.