The Trump administration has profoundly altered American policy on refugees. Discover what the nature of these changes and their likely consequences. Understand why this refugees policy, described as restrictive and inhumane, rightly raises concerns.
The refugee admission program
The Refugee Admissions Program is the only way for persecuted individuals seeking refugee status who live abroad to enter the United States.
Under the Biden administration, the United States admitted 60,014 refugees in 2023 and 100,034 in 2024. Trump wants to suspend these admissions. In 2021, during his first term, the country admitted only 11,814 refugees. The Trump administration has set the refugee admission cap at 7,500 for the year 2026. Admissions will be primarily for South Africans from the country's white Afrikaner ethnic minority.
The president has the power to choose the number of refugees admitted each year. However, the Immigration and Nationality Act allows him to suspend the entry of migrants, even those with legal status. Admissions can resume only if deemed to be "in the best interests of the United States."
The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Security may jointly grant exceptions and admit refugees on a case-by-case basis when it is in the national interest and there is no threat to the safety or well-being of Americans.
Close the southern border
Under Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, Trump ordered the suspension of entry for anyone involved in the invasion of the United States.
In these executive orders, Trump claims a national emergency at the southern border due to a massive influx of migrants.
Between 2022 and 2023, more than two million migrants reached the southern border. Some were immediately deported, while others were allowed to remain in the United States pending a hearing to determine their asylum claims.
Migrants are not criminals, as Trump believes. These people are fleeing the precarious and hopeless lives they face in their countries of origin.
Currently, under the Trump administration, migrants seeking international protection at the southern border must wait several months in squalid camps in Mexico before obtaining an appointment with immigration authorities.
However, Trump eliminated "CBP One", a mobile application created under the Biden administration that allowed asylum seekers to schedule appointments to file their asylum claims at the southern border. Consequently, asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border can no longer schedule appointments to enter the United States and file asylum claims. They are therefore being turned back
Oppose the right to asylum
Donald Trump has declared that the freeze on asylum procedures in the United States will last a long time.
As early as 1892, the Supreme Court declared that a sovereign nation has the right to prohibit the entry of foreigners into its territory. Admission to the United States is considered a privilege granted by the sovereign American government.
Nevertheless, no president has the power to close the United States indefinitely.
But Trump believes that the United States is the victim of a migrant invasion and that this situation gives him the right to ignore these laws. Trump is committing a crime, but he persists.
His administration has decided to freeze all decisions regarding the granting of asylum in the United States.
The "green cards," which grant permanent resident status in the country, issued to nationals of 19 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Haiti, and Venezuela, will be reviewed.
Imprison and deport million of migrants
Trump has stated his intention to arrest and deport millions of undocumented immigrants living in the United States. He has the power to do so.
However, it's important to remember that those arrested have the right to a trial before deportation. Individuals who have lived in the United States for more than two years are entitled to a hearing before a judge. This is less certain for those who arrived more recently. Enforcing these rights for migrants is proving difficult. Cities and regions designated as "sanctuary cities" (Chicago, San Francisco, etc.), as well as NGOs that defend the human rights of migrants, will no longer have access to federal aid.
To deport migrants, the administration will first have to apprehend and detain the individuals concerned. However, the detention period cannot exceed six months. The situation is different if agreements exist with third-party states that agree to receive the deported individuals, whether or not they are from their countries of origin.
Another obstacle: deporting millions of people would be very expensive, costing some $300 billion depending on the deportations, in addition to the negative consequences for the American economy.
Eliminate access to citizenship by birthright
Another measure in the Trump administration's refugee policy is the elimination of birthright citizenship.
Birthright citizenship, enshrined in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, stipulates that every child born in the United States is automatically a U.S. citizen and has been in effect for over 150 years.
According to the Trump administration's proposed legislation, the children of undocumented immigrants, as well as those of immigrants with legal status or temporary permits, would no longer be able to benefit from this right. Federal agencies would deny them passports, Social Security numbers, and social benefits.
This decision by the president is considered harmful by many Americans. Like other measures it encourages illegal immigration. The children of immigrants born on U.S. soil will no longer obtain U.S. citizenship.
On December 5, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review the constitutionality of the executive order proposed by Donald Trump. The hearing date has not yet been set. It is expected to make its decision before the end of its annual session.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Donald Trump launched a virulent attack against the foreign population residing in the United States without being certain that reality, particularly from a legal standpoint, will allow him to achieve his true objectives. He has fueled fears of mass deportations and illegal immigration within foreign communities.
Sources
> SANTANA, Rebecca. (2025). Trump sets 7,500 annual limit for refugees entering US. It’ll be mostly white South Africans. AP news, Politics, October 30, 2025. apnews.com
> The White House. (2025). Restricting and limiting the entry of foreign nationals to protect the security of the United States. Proclamations, December16, 2025. whitehouse.gov