U.S. President Donald Trump has set the refugee admissions ceiling for fiscal year 2026 at 7,500, the lowest in American history, according to a White House document published on Thursday (October 30). The move is part of a broader effort to reshape global refugee and asylum policies.
In his annual refugee determination dated September 30, Trump said admissions would focus largely on South Africans from the white Afrikaner minority, a group he claims faces racial persecution — a charge denied by the South African government.
Trump halted all U.S. refugee admissions when he took office in January, saying they would resume only if deemed in the nation’s best interest. Weeks later, he announced plans to admit Afrikaners, prompting criticism from refugee advocates. According to Reuters, only 138 South Africans had entered the United States by early September.
The document said Washington may also consider admitting “other victims of illegal or unjust discrimination in their respective homelands.” An internal government memo from April suggested the administration could give priority to Europeans targeted for political views, such as opposition to mass migration or support for populist movements, though this was not explicitly stated in Trump’s public plan.
During the UN General Assembly in September, senior Trump officials urged other nations to back a global rollback of asylum protections — a significant shift from post-World War II migration norms.
The new 7,500 cap marks a sharp reduction from the 100,000 refugees admitted under former President Joe Biden in fiscal 2024. Critics argue the cut will damage America’s reputation as a haven for the persecuted.
Gideon Maltz, CEO of the Tent Partnership for Refugees, said the decision undermines U.S. interests:
“Refugees help address labour shortages and have been extraordinarily good for America. Dismantling the programme today is not putting America first.”
In a related move, the White House announced that oversight of refugee resettlement will shift from the State Department to the Department of Health and Human Services, signalling a major administrative restructuring of the U.S. refugee system.
Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has promised to avenge the killing of his father, while U.S. President Donald Trump said Tehran and Washingto...
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Omani counterpart Sayyid Badr Albusaidi have discussed arrangements to ensure the safe passage of shi...
The U.S. Department of Justice has ordered several New York Times journalists to testify before a federal grand jury. ...
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Omani counterpart Sayyid Badr Albusaidi have discussed arrangements to ensure the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S. Department of Justice has ordered several New York Times journalists to testify before a federal grand jury.
At least 44 people have died and more than one million have been stranded due to widespread flooding and landslides across southeastern Bangladesh, authorities said on Saturday (11 July).
More than 100 countries now spend more on servicing debt than on education, UNESCO has warned, as it called on governments and international lenders to expand the use of debt-for-education swaps.
At least 12 people have been killed in forest fires in Almeria in southern Spain, Andalucía’s emergency agency has said, as firefighters continue efforts to put out the blaze.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington has agreed to resume talks with Iran after Tehran requested further negotiations, but declared that last month's ceasefire between the two countries was "over".
Dozens of flights have been cancelled across East Asia as Super Typhoon Bavi approaches China. The typhoon, which has maximum sustained winds of 162 kph (100mph), is nearing a remote chain of Japanese islands, east of Taiwan on Friday.
What began as a fan-created chant just months ago has become one of the defining images of this year's FIFA World Cup, with Norway's "Viking Row" sweeping through stadiums, city streets and social media.
British police have arrested a 26-year-old man on suspicion of the murder of Ann Widdecombe, a former government minister whose death was announced on Friday.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Omani counterpart Sayyid Badr Albusaidi have discussed arrangements to ensure the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S. Department of Justice has ordered several New York Times journalists to testify before a federal grand jury.
A Miami-based tycoon wanted in Albania for allegedly laundering drug money is suspected of faking the deeds to land where Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner wants to build a controversial multi-billion dollar resort, the country’s organised crime agency said in case files reviewed by Reuters.
A 26-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murdering British politician Ann Widdecombe has been released and is no longer part of the investigation, UK police have said.
Russia launched a barrage of ballistic missiles at Ukraine’s capital early on Saturday, injuring at least 10 people, officials said. The attack came as Kyiv faces a shortage of air defence munitions while awaiting fresh supplies to counter Russian strikes.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment