U.S. Lowers Refugee Cap, Prioritizes Afrikaners

The Trump administration set the U.S. refugee ceiling for fiscal 2026 at a historic low of 7,500, announced in a Federal Register memo on Oct. 30, down from last year’s 125,000 under President Biden. The memo directs that admissions "shall primarily be allocated among Afrikaners from South Africa" and other alleged victims of discrimination, saying those slots are "justified by humanitarian concerns or is otherwise in the national interest." The decision shifts primary oversight of resettlement to HHS’s Office of Refugee Resettlement rather than the State Department, and the administration has already resettled an initial group of Afrikaners earlier this year. Humanitarian and refugee groups and Democratic lawmakers condemned the move as politicizing and discriminatory, arguing it sidelines vetted refugees fleeing war and persecution, and some have signaled legal challenges. South Africa’s government rejects the U.S. characterization that Afrikaners face persecution, and critics say the administration’s claims lack evidentiary support and reflect political motives.