U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a new limit of 7,500 refugee admissions for the 2026 fiscal year, marking the lowest ceiling in U.S. history, according to a document released today by the White House.
The decision is part of Trump’s broader effort to reshape U.S. refugee and immigration policy, both domestically and globally, KosovaPress reports.
In his annual refugee determination on September 30, Trump stated that the U.S. would now primarily accept white ethnic minorities from South Africa, claiming they face racial persecution in the majority-Black nation—a claim strongly denied by the South African government.
Trump had suspended all refugee admissions upon taking office in January, asserting that such programs could resume only if deemed to be in “the best interest of the United States.”
Weeks later, he faced backlash from human rights and refugee advocacy groups after suggesting efforts to attract African Americans in place of international refugees.
In the new order announced today, Trump said his administration would also consider accepting “victims of unlawful or unjust discrimination in their home countries.”
The White House added that oversight of refugee assistance programs will be transferred from the State Department to the Department of Health and Human Services, a move critics argue could further politicize refugee policy.
