Trump's refugee admissions overwhelmingly favored white South Africans

By the numbers: The administration raised the FY26 refugee cap to 17,500, up from the initial cap of 7,500.

• Per the FY26 refugee admissions data, 16,292 refugees were admitted. Of those, 16,287 were from South Africa. The fiscal year ran from October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026.
• The five non-South African refugees admitted all year were from Afghanistan.
• The FY27 cap will also allow up to 17,500 refugees, and admissions will "primarily be allocated among" Afrikaners from South Africa.

Catch up quick: President Trump expanded the refugee cap in May 2026 to welcome more Afrikaners into the country after promoting a debunked conspiracy theory claiming a "white genocide" was occurring in South Africa.

• In the order, Trump said Afrikaners were facing an increase of "racially motivated violence" incited by both the government and leaders of prominent political parties in South Africa, and the cap needed to be increased due to their "grave humanitarian concerns."

Reality check: The "white genocide" conspiracy, promoted by Elon Musk, who was born in South Africa, and other far-right figures, argues that white farmers are being attacked in droves.

• The conspiracy has been fueled by a few high-profile incidents of violence, but a South African court and independent researchers say no such genocide is occurring.
• The conspiracy is also linked to a law designed to address the lingering racial disparities created by the discriminatory apartheid system that would distribute some privately-owned land to other residents.
• White people make up roughly 7.1% of South Africa's population but own 72% of the farmland, which has helped contribute to economic inequality in the country.

What they're saying: "Refugees need America, and America needs refugees," Hans Van de Weerd, senior vice president of resettlement, asylum and integration at the IRC said in early October.

• "The U.S. resettlement program should welcome the world's most vulnerable — Afghans who risked their lives to support the American mission in Afghanistan, persecuted religious and ethnic minorities, and refugees separated from family members left behind in danger."
• The organization also noted last year that resettlement should be offered to those most at risk, pointing out that "more than 100,000 who have passed all vetting and are waiting patiently in line."

For refugees who arrived in FY26, Texas, Florida, and California were the most popular places to settle, followed by Michigan and New York.

• Federal data did not break down where in each state refugees are living.

The other side: White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told Axios in an emailed statement that "[w]hile the South African government and many in the media have brushed off the horrific lived experiences of this community, the Trump administration continues to process applications for refugee status because the President has a humanitarian heart."

• A State Department spokesperson told Axios in an emailed statement that Trump "has been very clear" that prioritizing white South African resettlement is the new U.S. policy. They added that the department "will continue to process and admit as refugees Afrikaners in South Africa who are escaping the threat of government-sponsored race-based discrimination."

Zoom out: During Trump's first term, he also set the lowest refugee admissions cap at the time.

• In FY2018, the U.S. admitted 22,410 refugees, down from 53,690 the year before.
• By comparison, the Biden administration admitted 100,060 refugees in 2024.

Go deeper: Trump sets lowest-ever refugee cap. See how other presidents compare.