Overview
- The presidential determination published in the Federal Register sets the FY2026 ceiling at 7,500 and says allocations will primarily go to Afrikaners from South Africa and other victims of illegal or unjust discrimination.
- Oversight of initial refugee resettlement grants will move to HHS’s Office of Refugee Resettlement, altering long‑standing State Department management of services and funding.
- Refugee advocates, including IRAP and Global Refuge, condemned the policy as discriminatory and warn thousands who already cleared vetting and had travel arranged are now stranded.
- South Africa’s government rejects U.S. claims that white South Africans face persecution rising to refugee standards, disputing the rationale for prioritization.
- The cap marks a steep drop from the 125,000 level set last year and aligns with broader administration efforts to restrict refugee and asylum pathways, raising legal and congressional consultation questions.