U.S. President Donald Trump has set the refugee admissions ceiling for fiscal year 2026 at 7,500, the lowest limit in the country’s history. The number, which was released in a White House memo on Thursday, is far lower than the 100,000 refugees that former President Joe Biden approved in 2024. The action is a part of a larger effort by the Trump administration to influence international asylum rules and rethink U.S. refugee policy.

Trump’s decision underscores his long-standing argument that refugee admissions should serve “America’s best interests” — a policy he reinstated upon returning to office. He had paused all refugee entries after taking office in January, saying they would resume only if restructured under his administration’s new standards.

Who Will the U.S. Take In?

The new

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