US President Donald Trump has announced that he will limit the number of refugees entering the US to 7,500 for the fiscal year 2026.

This is a record low since the 1980 Refugee Act when a cap on refugees entering the country was set at 50,000 per year, but could be changed. That was the same year that the US refugee resettlement programme was launched. Currently, the cap sits at 125,000, set by former President Joe Biden.

Furthermore, the Trump administration said priority will be given to white South Africans.

But while the new cap is a significant drop from the number of refugees admitted by the US in more recent years, the US has made use of highly restrictive and often racist immigration policies throughout its history.

Who will be allowed to take refuge in the US from 2026?

No

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