News & Resources
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1, 2026
MEDIA CONTACT
Spencer Tilger | media@refugeerights.org
IRAP RESPONDS TO PRESIDENTIAL DETERMINATION ON REFUGEE ADMISSIONS PRIORITIZING AFRIKANERS
PD Continues Administration’s Exclusionary Refugee Policies
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, the Trump administration released the Presidential Determination (PD) on refugee admissions for Fiscal Year 2027. The PD sets a cap of 17,500 refugees and continues to restrict admissions primarily to white South Africans. Since taking office, the Trump administration has fast-tracked refugee admissions for South African minorities while categorically and unlawfully blocking vulnerable refugees from other populations from resettlement, denying them even the opportunity to apply for an exception to the refugee ban.
The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) is challenging the administration’s illegal and discriminatory refugee policies in court, and continues to advocate for a refugee program that recognizes the immense contributions refugees make to this country and is accessible to all displaced people, regardless of race or national origin.
“For nearly a half century, the bipartisan United States Refugee Admissions Program has brought refugees from all parts of the globe to restart their lives safely in the United States,” said Rricha deCant, IRAP Senior Director of Policy and Climate. “These refugees have embraced the United States and enriched our communities, but now they are being shut out. Not only does an admissions goal of 17,500 Afrikaners not meet the scale of global displacement, it unlawfully excludes vulnerable refugees who have waited for years if not decades for resettlement. We must prioritize need over politics.”
Additional Information
- Read the PD: HERE
- Read about IRAP’s lawsuit challenging the dismantling of USRAP: HERE
- Read the letter signed by 450+ state and local officials calling for the restoration of USRAP: HERE
The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) is a global legal aid and advocacy organization working to create a world where refugees and all people seeking safety are empowered to claim their right to freedom of movement and a path to lasting refuge. Everyone should have a safe place to live and a safe way to get there.
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