The emergency determination, published in the Federal Register on May 26, 2026, specifically allocates the additional 10,000 slots exclusively to Afrikaners from South Africa. The determination, published in the Federal Register on May 26, 2026, cites "recent increases in the incitement of racially motivated violence on the part of the Government of South Africa and leaders of prominent political parties in South Africa" as well as "new disruptions of United States Refugee Admissions Program operations in South Africa."
The action, designated Presidential Determination No. 2026-14, invokes section 207(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which authorizes the president to respond to "an unforeseen emergency refugee situation" after consulting Congress. Trump determined that the additional admissions "cannot be accomplished under the refugee ceiling of 7,500 for Fiscal Year 2026 as authorized in PD 2025-13" and that the increase "is warranted."
The determination specifies that the additional admissions "shall be allocated among Afrikaners from South Africa, consistent with the directives in Executive Order 14204." That executive order, issued earlier, provides for refugee resettlement of Afrikaners "who are victims of unjust racial discrimination," according to the Federal Register notice.
Refugee admissions under the determination remain subject to several other presidential policies, including Executive Order 14161, which mandates that refugees receive "the most stringent identification verification of any class of alien seeking admission or entry to the United States," and Executive Order 14163, which suspends refugee entry unless the secretaries of State and Homeland Security jointly determine an admission is in the national interest. Proclamation 10998, which restricts entry of foreign nationals whose admission "would be detrimental to the national interest," also applies.
The determination also specifies that, for fiscal year 2026, Afrikaners from South Africa processed under Executive Order 14204 "may, if otherwise qualified, be considered refugees for the purpose of admission to the United States within their countries of nationality or habitual residence." This provision invokes section 101(a)(42)(B) of the INA, which allows certain refugees to be processed while still in their home country.
The determination states it was issued "after appropriate consultations with the Congress," as required by law, and references the earlier ceiling set in Presidential Determination 2025-13 of September 30, 2025.
No official response from the South African government or from refugee advocacy organizations is included in the source material.
Informational content only, not legal advice. Consult a licensed immigration attorney.