The Trump administration has announced a significant reduction in the refugee admissions ceiling, with the United States now accepting no more than 7,500 people per year. This decision sets a historic low for the US resettlement program, which was previously capped at 125,000 people. Reuters reported.
As noted in the White House, the program will prioritize “victims of unlawful or unfair discrimination”, in particular, white South Africans. Trump has previously accused the South African government of “white genocide”. Despite this, white South Africans remain significantly wealthier than most black citizens – their average income is about three times higher.
At the same time, the US president ordered the cancellation of temporary protected status for citizens of Afghanistan, Haiti, Venezuela and a number of other countries who previously had permission to temporarily reside and work in the United States.
As a reminder, on January 20, on his first day as president, Donald Trump signed an executive order suspending the US Refugee Admission Program (USRAP). According to him, this decision will allow the US authorities to focus on national and public security issues. Trump believes that the country cannot accept a large number of migrants without reducing the availability of state resources for its own citizens.
