The measure represents a shift in American migration policy, which for decades welcomed tens of thousands of people fleeing wars and persecution.
The government of announced this Thursday (30) a drastic cut in the number of refugees it intends to admit in 2026, reducing the total to 7,500 people — the lowest level in the program’s history. The measure represents a turnaround in American migration policy, which for decades welcomed tens of thousands of people fleeing war and persecution.
According to a White House memo, most of the vacancies will be allocated to Afrikaners, white South Africans descended from European settlers. The document states that admissions will focus on “people who have suffered illegal or unfair discrimination in their home countries.”
During Joe Biden’s government (2021–2025), the United States received more than 100,000 refugees per year. The cut announced by Republican Donald Trump, who returned to power in January, marks a break with this policy. The new government has since suspended the Refugee Admissions Program and eliminated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghans, Haitians, Venezuelans and citizens of other countries.
Trump justified the decision by stating that Afrikaners live in a “terrible situation” in South Africa, going so far as to speak of “genocide” — an accusation widely rejected by experts and the South African government itself. In May, the first 50 Afrikaner refugees arrived in the United States.
the United States. The decision provoked strong criticism from human rights organizations. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick of the American Immigration Council said the refugee program “will be used as a pipeline for white immigration,” calling the move a “disappointment for a humanitarian jewel of the United States.” Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, president of Global Refuge, declared that the change “undermines the purpose and credibility” of a program that, for more than four decades, has served as a shelter for families fleeing war and repression.
Currently, whites represent around 7.3% of South Africa’s population. Although they form a minority, they still own two-thirds of the agricultural land and have an average income three times higher than that of the black population. Historically, governments led by Afrikaners instituted the apartheid regime, which was only abolished in 1994.
