US Caps Refugee Admissions at 7,500, Prioritizing White South Africans
Newly arrived South Africans are welcomed by US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau near Washington Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia on May 12.
Photographer: Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesPresident Donald Trump is cutting the limit on refugees the US resettles to 7,500 for the upcoming fiscal year, while prioritizing White South Africans, a sharp break from the nation’s traditional policy of accepting tens of thousands fleeing conflict and persecution annually.
The decision posted Thursday in the Federal Register said the new policy is justified by “humanitarian concerns or is otherwise in the national interest.” It’s a steep decrease from last year’s ceiling of 125,000, set under President Joe Biden, a Democrat. Bloomberg previously reported the administration was considering shrinking the cap to 7,500.