Trump Plans 7,500 Refugee Cap, Prioritizes Afrikaners

The Trump administration plans to cut the U.S. refugee admissions cap to 7,500 for fiscal year 2026, down sharply from the 125,000 ceiling set by the Biden administration. A presidential determination dated Sept. 30 signed by the president lays out the plan and would reserve a large share of those slots for white South Africans (Afrikaners) and others the administration deems victims of “unjust discrimination.” Officials say the cap would be finalized only after the required annual consultation with Congress, but Democrats and refugee advocates contend the White House missed the Sept. 30 consultation deadline and are calling the move a legal and moral failure; the White House says consultations were delayed by the government shutdown. Advocates warn the record-low cap would shut the door on thousands waiting in camps worldwide, jeopardize lives and separate families; a small number of South African arrivals have already been admitted this year.