The United States has admitted 4,499 refugees since October 2025, and all but three were from South Africa, according to figures released by the Refugee Processing Center. The numbers reflect a significant shift in U.S. refugee policy under the Trump administration, which has largely halted broader admissions while prioritizing a narrow group of applicants.
The three non-South African refugees admitted during that period were from Afghanistan. Most of the rest were Afrikaners, a white minority group that President Donald Trump has said faces discrimination. The current intake contrasts sharply with the final full fiscal year under the Biden administration, when approximately 125,000 refugees from 85 countries were resettled.
Shortly after returning to office, Trump suspended most refugee admissions, including for applicants from conflict zones, while introducing a pathway prioritizing Afrikaners and "other victims of illegal or unjust discrimination," according to administration statements. Officials have framed the shift as a matter of national security and humanitarian focus.
"The U.S. position on this humanitarian initiative has not changed," a State Department spokesperson told the BBC.
The approach has drawn criticism from the South African government, which disputes claims that white citizens are subject to systematic persecution. President Cyril Ramaphosa has rejected assertions of a "genocide" against white farmers, calling them unfounded. Data presented by South African authorities indicates that violence in rural areas affects multiple groups, not a single racial category.
The policy has also contributed to rising diplomatic tensions between Washington and South Africa. Disagreements over domestic policies, including land reform and affirmative action, have further strained relations, alongside public remarks by U.S. officials supporting Afrikaner resettlement.
At the same time, reporting from Reuters suggests that some white South Africans who previously emigrated to the United States are reconsidering their move. Some cite cost-of-living concerns and safety perceptions in the U.S., while others point to family ties and lifestyle preferences as reasons for returning.
The concentration of refugee admissions among a single nationality marks a departure from long-standing U.S. practices, which have typically prioritized applicants from a wide range of countries based on humanitarian need.
Originally published on Latin Times
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