On his first day back in office, President Trump signed an executive order that has effectively halted the U.S. refugee admissions program, a system that for decades enjoyed bipartisan support as a lifeline for people fleeing persecution. The order, which remains in force, suspends refugee entry indefinitely, allowing exceptions only on a case-by-case basis. In practice, those exceptions have been granted almost exclusively to white South Africans.
The administration's priorities became starkly clear on October 30, 2025, when it announced a historic low annual refugee cap of 7,500, nearly all reserved for white South Africans. Then, in May, the administration said it would admit an additional 10,000 white South Africans this year, while continuing to block refugees from virtually every other country. According to State Department data released in October, the U.S. accepted 16,292 refugees in fiscal 2026, and all but five were South Africans.
Trump's latest presidential determination, issued on September 25, 2026, sets the refugee ceiling for the new fiscal year at 17,500, again primarily for Afrikaners from South Africa. No other nationality was mentioned. This marks a dramatic departure from past practice: President Reagan set the annual ceiling at 140,000 in 1982, and the Biden administration targeted 125,000 in 2024.
The administration's single-minded focus on Afrikaners has effectively blocked refugees from other persecuted populations, stripping them of even the chance to apply for an exception. It also disregards congressionally mandated priorities, including the Follow-to-Join program for family reunification, the Iraqi Direct Access Program for U.S.-affiliated Iraqis, and the Lautenberg Program for religious minorities, which currently protects 14,000 individuals at risk amid escalating violence in Iran.
Legal challenges are mounting. On April 7, Church World Service, HIAS, Lutheran Community Services Northwest, and several refugee plaintiffs moved to file an amended complaint in their ongoing lawsuit against the refugee ban. The amended complaint alleges that the administration's exclusion of all refugees except South Africans is driven by racial animus, and it highlights the continued barring of refugee populations that Congress has specifically prioritized.
Among those stranded overseas are refugees who have received support from Republicans in Congress, and even from within the administration. The Lautenberg Program was included in the State Department appropriations bill that Trump signed in 2026. The Senate version of the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act includes a provision to protect Afghan allies stuck at a former U.S. military base in Qatar, many of whom have already been approved for resettlement.
Critics argue that this administration has dismantled the U.S. refugee program as it has existed for generations, replacing it with a system that resettles almost exclusively white people from a single country. Church World Service, a faith-based humanitarian organization, is calling for an end to the ban and for a more equitable, inclusive admissions process. At minimum, the administration should broaden exceptions beyond South Africans and consult with Congress to adjust the current limits.
As persecution continues worldwide, the U.S. should maintain its bipartisan commitment to refugees, regardless of their origin, race, or faith. The current policy, however, represents a sharp and troubling departure from that principle.
