Trump considers cutting US refugee intake to 7,500, focusing on white South Africans, officials say

Source: AP

Updated 12:51 PM EDT, October 6, 2025


WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is considering admitting far fewer refugees into the U.S. this year — as few as 7,500, and mostly white South Africans, officials say — a dramatic new low as the administration is conducting sweeping immigration raids as part of its mass deportation agenda.

The new figures have not been finalized by the Trump administration or officially transmitted in a notification to Congress as required by last week’s deadline, according to two people familiar with the situation who were granted anonymity because they were unauthorized to discuss it with the media.

The decreased numbers of refugees would be a stark departure from the higher figures traditionally allowed into the U.S. — the Biden administration last year set a target of 125,000 refugee admissions. And advocates warn it would essentially bump from the line those who have already been vetted and are awaiting approvals. It all comes as the Department of Homeland Security is engaged in a crackdown on immigrants in American cities, including this past weekend in Chicago, and recruiting officers with a social media campaign to “recapture our national identity.”

“This would be a monumental shift in U.S. refugee policy, not just in terms of reducing admissions, but also in terms of disproportionately privileging one group over every other,” said Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, president and CEO of the resettlement organization, Global Refuge.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/trump-refugees-immigration-afrikaners-south-africa-04d8b794277c8380b041dda1e9725c83