By Hassana Abdullahi
The Trump administration has announced a sharp reduction in the number of refugees allowed into the United States over the next year, slashing the annual cap to 7,500. Officials described the move as being “in the national interest,” marking a dramatic shift from the previous limit of 125,000 set under the Biden administration.
In a statement, government representatives said the new policy would prioritise white South Africans, commonly known as Afrikaners, citing what they described as “ongoing discrimination” against the group in their home country.
The decision has sparked criticism from human rights advocates, who argue that it politicises refugee admissions and undermines America’s long-standing commitment to offering protection based on humanitarian need rather than ethnicity or nationality.
Administration officials, however, defended the move, saying it reflects a “targeted and merit-based” approach to refugee resettlement aimed at protecting those “most aligned with American values.”
The new refugee ceiling marks one of the lowest in U.S. history and signals a broader reorientation of the country’s immigration and humanitarian policies.