Washington, Oct 31: The administration of US President Donald Trump plans to reduce the number of refugees allowed into the United States to 7,500. According to the Santa Maria Times, priority will be given to white South Africans.

The Trump administration has set the refugee admissions cap for fiscal year 2026 at a historically low level, the lowest in US history.

This decision specifically prioritizes white residents of South Africa, sparking outrage among human rights groups and opposition parties.

Critics say this move represents an attempt to reshape the US refugee program along racial lines. A statement released by the State Department on Wednesday noted that under the new cap, most refugees will be white South African farmers. Other minority communities facing alleged land grabs and violence will also be included.

This decision is an expansion of the Mission South Africa initiative, launched in February 2025, which aims to give preference to English-speaking white South Africans.


The US Department of Homeland Security aims to resettle 6,000 white South Africans by the end of November. A senior official from the Trump administration, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “This decision was made with national security and cultural integration in mind. The white South African community aligns with American values and can quickly integrate into society.”

However, Human Rights Watch condemned the statement as racist, saying, “This transforms the refugee program from helping the world’s most vulnerable into a racially selective process.”


During Trump’s first term (2017–2021), the refugee cap was reduced from 110,000 to 15,000. The new cap of 7,500 represents an even 50 percent cut from that figure.

This move comes amid a global refugee crisis, with the United Nations reporting that over 12 million people were displaced in 2025, mainly from the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America.

Experts say the new cap will allow only 5,000 to 6,000 refugees to enter, of which 80 percent are expected to be white South African residents.

People’s News Monitoring Service