Nearly all refugees admitted into the United States during the first half of the 2026 fiscal year came from South Africa, highlighting a dramatic shift in American refugee policy under U.S. President Donald Trump.

According to figures released by the U.S. Department of State’s refugee bureau and cited by the South African outlet Independent Online, 4,496 South Africans were resettled in the U.S. between October 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026. In comparison, only three refugees from Afghanistan were admitted over the same period, a staggering decline that reflects a broader tightening of refugee admissions.

The numbers mark a sharp departure from previous years, when the United States accepted tens of thousands of refugees annually from a wide range of countries, including conflict zones in the Middle East and Africa. However, under the current administration of President Donald Trump, overall intake has been significantly reduced, while specific attention has been given to applications from Afrikaners, a white minority community in South Africa.

The pace of arrivals surged notably early this year. February and March saw the highest intake, with more than 1,300 South Africans resettled each month. This surge followed a policy decision made a year earlier.

In February last year, Trump signed an executive order establishing a refugee pathway specifically for white South Africans, particularly Afrikaners. The administration justified the decision on the basis of alleged racial discrimination and targeted violence against the group.

These allegations have been firmly rejected by South African officials.

Tensions between Washington and Pretoria escalated in May last year, when South African President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the White House.

At the meeting, Trump repeated controversial claims about a so-called “white genocide” affecting Afrikaners. Ramaphosa dismissed the assertion, stating that there was no evidence to support the idea that white South Africans were being systematically persecuted or forced to flee.

Afrikaners are a distinct cultural and ethnic group in South Africa, largely descended from Dutch, German, and French settlers who began arriving in the 17th century. They have played a significant role in the country’s history.

Since the end of apartheid in 1994, South Africa has worked to address deep-rooted inequalities, although several issues—particularly crime, land reform, and economic disparity—continue to dominate public debate.