Trump Caps US Refugee Admissions at 25-Year Low

Refugee admissions to the United States are on pace to reach a record low for the 2026 fiscal year. According to a Pew Research Center analysis of State Department data, the U.S. admitted 10,258 refugees in the first 10 months of the fiscal year, a steep drop from 38,102 in fiscal 2025 and 100,034 the year prior.

Donald Trump capped total admissions for fiscal 2026 at 17,500, the lowest limit in 25 years. In February 2025, the president issued an executive order prioritizing admissions for Afrikaners, who are white South Africans. This policy shift means nearly all refugees admitted this fiscal year are white South Africans, departing from previous trends where the majority of refugees arrived from conflict zones such as the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The administration based the executive order on claims that Black leaders in South Africa have discriminated against Afrikaners by seizing farmland without compensation. Trump characterized this as a "shocking disregard" for their rights. South African leadership has denied these claims, stating that Afrikaners do not face systemic persecution.