White House Sets FY2027 Refugee Ceiling at 17,500, Prioritizes South African Afrikaners

On September 25, 2026, the President issued Presidential Determination No. 2026-24, setting the Fiscal Year 2027 refugee admissions ceiling at up to 17,500 and directing that admissions be primarily allocated to Afrikaners from South Africa under Executive Order 14204. The determination was published in the Federal Register on October 2, 2026.

Key points

• The FY2027 refugee admissions ceiling is set at up to 17,500 people.
• Admissions are to be primarily allocated to Afrikaners from South Africa under Executive Order 14204.
• Executive Order 14161 requires refugees to undergo the most stringent identification verification of any class of admission seeker.
• Executive Order 14163 keeps general refugee admissions suspended unless the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security jointly determine admission serves the national interest without threatening security.
• Under INA section 101(a)(42)(B), persons processed under Executive Order 14204 may be considered refugees within their country of nationality or habitual residence.
• Proclamation 10998, restricting entry of certain foreign nationals, continues to apply alongside this determination.

Who is affected

South African Afrikaners seeking refugee resettlement and other refugee applicants or processors affected by the overall FY2027 ceiling.

What to do