Trump plans to expand refugee program for white South African citizens

The administration of the President of the United States, Donald Trump, is considering a significant extension of the annual refugee admission limit, with the aim of increasing the arrival of white South Africans, especially of “Afrikaner” origin. The proposal, still under internal discussion, contemplates increasing the current ceiling of 7,500 refugees set for fiscal year 2026 by up to 10,000 places, which would more than double the

current figure.

The initiative is part of an important shift in immigration policy promoted by Trump since his return to the White House in January 2025. In his first weeks in office, the president suspended the global refugee program and later signed an executive order that prioritizes the admission of Afrikaners, victims of racial discrimination in South Africa by the black population and the communist government

.

State Department officials confirmed that the government is reviewing the current rate of re-settlements and evaluating whether it is necessary to raise the admission limit for the rest of the fiscal year. Andrew Veprek, Deputy Undersecretary for Population, Refugees and Migration, said at a recent event that the administration is analyzing “how quickly the process is progressing” and whether the current ceiling is sufficient in the face

of demand.

So far, nearly 4,500 South Africans have been admitted as refugees in the first six months of the fiscal year, suggesting that the current quota could be reached sooner than expected. According to official data, practically all the refugees accepted during this period come from South Africa, with only three exceptions of Afghan nationality

.

From the White House, the measure is defended as a reinterpretation of the original purpose of the refugee program, established in 1980 to provide protection to persecuted people. Advisors close to the president, such as Stephen Miller, have argued that the situation of Afrikaners fits the classic criteria of persecution, since it is discrimination based on race, a category protected by international law