The Trump administration is preparing to set the U.S. refugee admissions ceiling at around 40,000 for 2026, with roughly 30,000 slots designated for White South Africans of Afrikaner descent, two U.S. officials told Reuters.
The move comes just months after the first group of Afrikaners arrived in the United States under a new program launched by President Donald Trump, who has argued the community faces racial discrimination and the threat of violence in South Africa.
If finalized, the cap would mark a major shift in U.S. refugee policy. It is far below the 100,000 refugees admitted during President Joe Biden’s final year in office, though still above the 15,000 ceiling set by Trump in 2021. Trump froze refugee admissions upon returning to office in January before rolling out the Afrikaner-specific program weeks later.
The South African government has strongly dismissed Trump’s claims, accusing him of spreading misinformation and politicizing immigration. Officials in Pretoria say there is no evidence of genocide or systematic persecution of Afrikaners.
The proposal is expected to trigger intense debate in Washington, with critics warning it reflects racial bias in immigration policy and could redefine U.S. commitments to global refugee protection.