On May 27, the Trump Administration published an Emergency Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions for Fiscal Year 2026 to allow 10,000 additional Afrikaners from South Africa to be admitted to the United States as refugees. The increase in the refugee cap is based on the President’s finding of “an unforeseen emergency refugee situation.”
While the Trump Administration suspended the U.S. refugee program in January 2025, it has extended refugee status to Afrikaners–South Africans descended mainly from Dutch settlers–on a nearly exclusive basis. President Trump did not give further detail as to the “unforeseen emergency”, but has previously cited violence against South African farmers as the reason for the original refugee status, calling it a “genocide”.
In response to the announcement, Bishop Brendan J. Cahill, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration, welcomed the decision, but said in a statement that resettlement opportunities should not be limited to just one group.
“Offering refuge to the world’s vulnerable and persecuted is a founding principle of our country and it is uniquely what makes this country great. For decades, the United States was known for offering this opportunity, not favoring one particular group, but granting relief in accordance with our laws, our shared values, and the national interest. Today, however, that is sadly not the case. We appreciate the Administration’s acknowledgement that our country can continue to resettle refugees, and we renew our call for resettlement to be extended further to others in need, including those persecuted on the basis of their faith, the likes of whom have no access to refuge in our country at this time.”