The United States plans to process 4,500 refugee applications from white South Africans monthly, exceeding the overall refugee cap set by President Donald Trump, according to a U.S. State Department document dated January 27.
The initiative represents a significant increase in admissions from South Africa, while applications from other regions have been limited. Trump has imposed a global cap of 7,500 refugees for fiscal year 2026, although internal discussions previously considered a higher range. By the end of January, 2,000 white South Africans had been admitted since the program began in May 2025.
However, the new target may encounter administrative challenges in Washington, which has recently banned all refugee travel to the U.S., affecting South African applicants as well, a U.S. official stated.
Neither the U.S. State Department nor the Department of Homeland Security responded to requests for comment. The White House redirected inquiries to the State Department. Last year, the South African Chamber of Commerce in the U.S. reported that over 67,000 individuals had expressed interest in relocating.
Trump halted refugee admissions upon assuming office in 2025 as part of broader immigration restrictions but later initiated efforts to admit white South Africans, citing alleged persecution. The South African government has disputed these claims, and some refugee advocates have criticized the policy.
According to a U.S. government contracting document posted online Wednesday, trailers are being installed at the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria without competitive bidding, citing an urgent need for a secure processing site. In December, operations were disrupted following an immigration raid at a commercial property in Johannesburg.
The document noted that failure to meet the target of 4,500 monthly applicants, as communicated from the White House to the State Department, would compromise a presidential priority.
South African Foreign Ministry spokesperson Chrispin Phiri stated the government would not interfere if U.S. activities remain legal, reiterating the rejection of allegations of systemic persecution.
Whether the U.S. can achieve the monthly target remains uncertain. The State Department canceled all refugee travel, including South African, from February 23 to March 9 for operational reasons, according to an email to applicants.
Due to the 2025 refugee ban, South Africans are admitted as exceptions approved on a case-by-case basis by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
A U.S. official, speaking anonymously, confirmed administrative delays caused a backlog in approvals.
Before the admission pause, the number of South African refugees was increasing, with 1,500 admitted in December and January, up from 500 in the previous seven months, State Department data shows.
Tensions between the U.S. and South Africa escalated in December when authorities raided a Johannesburg site processing refugee cases, arresting seven Kenyans and detaining two U.S. officers briefly.
The U.S. and South African officials later reached an agreement to continue processing at a closed-door meeting, as reported by Reuters. A South African firm received a contract worth $772,000 to install 14 prefabricated buildings for temporary use on the embassy grounds in Pretoria.
In a communication platform for South Africans, an applicant described attending an interview in a trailer on embassy grounds, noting additional trailers were under preparation, signaling operational status.
