The Trump administration is moving to reconfigure the U.S. refugee system in a way that offers special relief to supporters of far‑right European parties while drastically restricting access for most other asylum seekers, the New York Times reported Wednesday.
Under the draft proposals submitted to the White House, the refugee program would be narrowed to minimal levels and redesigned so that preference is given to English speakers, white South Africans and Europeans who oppose migration.
According to the report, the plans include a clause to “prioritize Europeans who have been 'targeted for peaceful expression of views online such as opposition to mass migration or support for "populist" political parties.'"
That language appears to target followers of far‑right movements such as Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
The report noted that administration officials have not formally accepted or rejected the ideas, and no timeline has been set for implementation. They are under review by senior staff, with supporters saying the proposals would align refugee policy with the president’s agenda of admitting mostly white people the administration claims are being persecuted against.
The documents trace back to instructions from President Donald Trump to federal agencies to evaluate how and whether refugee resettlement serves U.S. interests. Trump halted refugee admissions on his first day in office and later asked for proposals to reshape the system. Some elements of the plan are already being applied.
"To that end, the documents say, Mr. Trump should cancel the applications of hundreds of thousands of people who are already in the pipeline to come to the United States as refugees, many of whom have gone through extensive security checks and referrals."
"And Mr. Trump’s federal agencies proposed imposing limits on the number of refugees who can resettle in communities that already have a high population of immigrants, on the basis that the United States should avoid 'the concentration of non-native citizens' in order to promote assimilation," the report reads.
The report further revealed that one provision calls for permitting refugees only from “ethnically European groups” who have faced suppression of speech, especially related to their criticism of migration policies.
It is unclear how broadly or narrowly that standard would be interpreted.
Critics quoted in the article warned that the changes would transform refugee admissions into a tool favoring white and nationalist politics. The process would shift from a humanitarian mission toward a policy that screens based on ideology and race.
Moreover, outside analysts say the proposed overhaul may face legal challenges.
A federal judge blocked a prior effort by the administration to suspend the refugee program altogether, ruling that the president may limit admissions but cannot nullify a law passed by Congress.