Trump Slashes Annual Limit For Refugees Entering US To 7,500 - Mostly White South Africans

Last Updated:October 31, 2025, 00:47 IST

US cuts annual refugee admissions to 7,500, mainly White South Africans, citing national security and resource concerns, sharply reducing Biden-era levels of 125,000

US President Donald Trump (Image: AFP/File)

As the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials continue to move against illegal immigrants, the Trump administration has announced its decision to restrict the number of refugees allowed to enter the country annually to 7,500 and they will mostly be White South Africans.

The latest decision is a sharp cut from 125,000, which was set under former President Joe Biden.

In January 2025, Trump had signed an executive order suspending the US Refugee Admissions Programme, or USRAP, which would allow the authorities to prioritise national security and public safety.

On January 20, Trump said he would suspend USRAP to reflect the US’s lack of “ability to absorb large numbers of migrants, and in particular, refugees, into its communities in a manner that does not compromise the availability of resources for Americans" and “protects their safety and security".

In May, Trump had criticised South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and alleged that white farmers in his nation were being killed and “persecuted".

The White House had also played a video which they said showed burial sites for murdered white farmers, BBC reported.

According to a statement published by the Federal Register on Thursday, the move to slash the refugee admissions to 7,500 will apply for the next fiscal year.

While no reason was given for the cut, the notice said it was “justified by humanitarian concerns or is otherwise in the national interest".

According to BBC, the notice said the 7,500 admissions would “primarily" be allocated to Afrikaner South Africans and “other victims of illegal or unjust discrimination in their respective homelands".

News world Trump Slashes Annual Limit For Refugees Entering US To 7,500 - Mostly White South Africans

Read More