U.S. to cut refugee admissions

President Donald Trump has announced that the United States will reduce its refugee admissions cap to 7,500 next year, the lowest level in the nation’s history. The decision, published Thursday in the Federal Register, marks a sharp reduction from the previous limit of 125,000 set under former President Joe Biden. According to the notice, the limited number of refugee places will be allocated “primarily” to Afrikaner South Africans and “other victims of illegal or unjust discrimination in their respective homelands.” No detailed explanation was provided for the cut. The notice stated that t

President Donald Trump has announced that the United States will reduce its refugee admissions cap to 7,500 next year, the lowest level in the nation’s history. The decision, published Thursday in the Federal Register, marks a sharp reduction from the previous limit of 125,000 set under former President Joe Biden. According to the notice, the limited number of refugee places will be allocated “primarily” to Afrikaner South Africans and “other victims of illegal or unjust discrimination in their respective homelands.” No detailed explanation was provided for the cut. The notice stated that the new ceiling was “justified by humanitarian concerns or is otherwise in the national interest.” In January, Trump signed an executive order suspending the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), saying the move would allow authorities to focus on national security and public safety. The previous lowest refugee cap was set in 2020 under Trump’s first administration, when the limit was reduced to 15,000 for the 2021 fiscal year. Trump said the program will now prioritize white South Africans, whom he has accused the South African government of persecuting. The administration said the decision was “based on reasons of justice, security, and the national interests of the United States,” without offering further details.