White House sets annual refugee cap at 7,500

The Trump administration on Thursday said in a Federal Register document that it would reserve most slots in the financial year that began Oct. 1 for Afrikaners—South Africans who are of European descent. The remaining spots would go to other victims experiencing illegal or unjust discrimination in their home countries, according to the Trump administration. South African authorities have disputed the Trump administration’s representation of the issues faced by Afrikaners.

The cap announcement follows weeks of unconfirmed reports that the administration was contemplating such a move, and warnings by refugee advocates that doing so would leave little room for persecuted Christians and other religious minorities worldwide.

What is the refugee cap? The term refers to the maximum number of refugees the United States will take in through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program each year. The program thoroughly vets individuals before they arrive in the United States.

Is this an exceptionally low refugee ceiling? The Biden administration set the refugee ceiling for Fiscal Year 2025 at 125,000, according to the U.S. State Department. Before President Donald Trump set the number of refugee slots at 7,500 for this fiscal year, the previous lowest refugee ceiling on record was for the 2021 financial year, when Trump set it at 15,000, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Why is the Trump administration doing this? The White House told WORLD on Thursday that the administration had long made clear its intention to end Biden-era abuse of the refugee program. It added that no refugees will be admitted to the United States at all in Fiscal Year 2026 until the administration can meet with congressional officials about the refugee ceiling. Those conversations can’t take place until the government shutdown is over, the White House said.

Dig deeper: Read my report about the debate sparked by the initial reports that Trump could set the number at 7,500.