The Trump administration has continued its unusually narrow refugee policy, admitting almost exclusively white South Africans this fiscal year.

Per Mother Jones, since October 1, 2025, the United States has accepted 6,668 refugees; 6,665 of those individuals were white South Africans. The remaining three, who were admitted last November, were from Afghanistan. Meaning: no other refugees have been admitted. Data was pulled from the US Refugee Admissions Program, a refugee resettlement agency created in collaboration with the federal government.

That pattern comes as the White House has leaned into claims that Afrikaners in South Africa face persecution. This May, the Trump administration raised the refugee admissions ceiling by 10,000, saying the change would allow more white South Africans into the country. The administration expanded the program after originally capping admissions at 7,500 for fiscal year 2026.

But the “white genocide” claim driving the policy has been widely disputed. The BBC reported that South African officials and outside experts say the narrative is not supported by evidence, while PBS noted that farm violence and violent crime in South Africa affect people across racial lines, not only white residents.

The numbers show how lopsided the program has become. "The assertion that white Afrikaners, in particular, endure systemic persecution is entirely without foundation," said South African foreign ministry spokesperson Chrispin ​Phiri to Reuters.

The policy also stands out because it runs against the broader global refugee crisis, where millions remain displaced, and many other applicants face long waits. For critics, the message is simple: the U.S. is opening its doors for one group while leaving nearly everyone else outside.