The Trump administration on Wednesday unveiled its refugee admissions proposal for the coming fiscal year, setting a ceiling of 17,500—a historically low figure—and reiterating its controversial preference for white Afrikaners from South Africa. The proposed cap marks a 10,000-person increase over the previous year’s all-time low, but it maintains the unprecedented ethnic focus that has drawn sharp rebukes from refugee advocates and the South African government.
In a letter to Congress, the State Department argued that Afrikaners face persecution, including “the seizure of agricultural property without compensation; government policies designed to dismantle equal opportunity in employment, education, and business; and hateful rhetoric fueling disproportionate violence against racially disfavored minorities.” The department also stated that Afrikaners would “fully assimilate into the United States in a manner that preserves taxpayer resources for U.S. citizens.”
South African officials have repeatedly dismissed these claims. Spokesman Chrispin Phiri told the Associated Press in May, when the cap was first raised to 10,000, that the allegations are “completely false.” He pointed to Afrikaners who, despite using the preferential program, have chosen to return home, suggesting the purported persecution is not as severe as portrayed.
Refugee resettlement agencies have condemned the administration’s singular focus. Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, president and CEO of Global Refuge, said in a statement that “a refugee program that centers one group and sidelines all others is an abdication of our global humanitarian leadership and an abandonment of thousands of vulnerable families who put their faith in our country.” She added that those left waiting include “the Afghan interpreter, the persecuted pastor, the mother fleeing a war zone.”
HIAS, formerly the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, noted that more than 200,000 refugees are already in the pipeline, leaving many in precarious situations. The group argued that prioritizing one ethnic community over others undermines the program’s core mission.
The U.S. has so far struggled to meet even the revised target. CNN reported in July that the administration had admitted 7,700 Afrikaner refugees, but faced unusual hurdles, including higher-than-expected rejection rates due to criminal backgrounds and applicants delaying departure to wrap up business in South Africa. Denial rates for criminal history were in the low teens, compared to single digits for typical refugee cases.
The proposal continues a sharp departure from previous administrations. Under President Biden, the State Department had recommended a cap of 125,000 refugees. The current proposal, if enacted, would keep the U.S. refugee program at near-historic lows while narrowing its scope to a single ethnic group—a move that critics say sets a dangerous precedent.
The administration’s stance has also sparked debate within political circles, with some lawmakers questioning the legal and diplomatic implications. The South African government has called the allegations baseless, and the focus on Afrikaners has been linked to broader tensions between Washington and Pretoria over land reform and foreign policy.
As the proposal heads to Congress, refugee advocates are pressing for a more inclusive approach. Meanwhile, the administration defends its policy as a targeted humanitarian effort, though it remains to be seen whether the cap will be met or whether the program will continue to face operational and political obstacles.
