In a striking policy pivot, nearly 99% of refugees admitted to the US between October 2025 and March 2026 came from South Africa, according to newly released State Department data. Over 4,400 South Africans were resettled during this period, while only three Afghan refugees gained entry—a 99.9% drop from previous years. 📉
Trump’s Focus on Afrikaners Reshapes Migration
The Trump administration has prioritized applications from South Africa’s white minority Afrikaner community, citing ‘religious persecution’ claims. This marks a dramatic shift from past US refugee programs that focused on conflict zones like Syria and Afghanistan.
Surge Follows 2025 Policy Change
Admissions spiked in early 2026, with over 1,300 South Africans arriving monthly in February and March. Analysts link this to a 2025 White House directive streamlining approvals for specific groups—a move critics call ‘selective humanitarianism.’
While the policy has drawn praise from some conservative groups, human rights organizations warn it overlooks ‘the world’s most vulnerable populations’. As global displacement hits record highs, the US is projected to accept fewer than 15,000 refugees this year—down from 85,000 a decade ago. 🌐
