The Trump administration is preparing a massive overhaul of its refugee intake system, which could prioritize English speakers, white South Africans and anti-immigration Europeans, according to documents seen by The New York Times.
Diversity undermines social trust, says document
"The sharp increase in diversity has reduced the level of social trust essential for the functioning of a democratic polity," says one of the documents.
Refugees "aligned with the president's objectives"
The recommendations would place greater emphasis on refugees' ability to integrate into the United States, notably through courses on "American history and values" and "respect for cultural norms". Only those "refugees who can be fully and appropriately assimilate, and are aligned with the president’s objectives," should be welcomed on American soil.
Avoiding "the concentration of non-native citizens"
They also suggest limiting the number of refugees who can settle in communities with large immigrant populations. This would avoid "the concentration of non-native citizens" and thus promote assimilation.
Favoring English speakers and certain Europeans
According to these proposals, the American president should prioritize refugees who speak English, as well as Europeans who have been "targeted for peacefully expressing their opinions online, for example by opposing mass immigration or supporting populist political parties".
According to the New York Times, this seems to refer in particular to Germany's far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party.
Welcoming more Afrikaners
Even before the government proposed them, Donald Trump had put in place some of these measures, notably one prioritizing the reception of Afrikaners, the descendants of the first European settlers in South Africa.
According to the Republican president, this white minority is a victim of racial persecution, which Pretoria denies.
The United States has already welcomed a group of 49 Afrikaners, who arrived on a special flight in May.
Refugee reception program still on hold
These recommendations, made to the White House last April and July, stem from Trump's request to officials at the Departments of State and Homeland Security to study whether the refugee program is still in America's interest.state and Homeland Security departments to study whether the refugee program is still in the best interests of the United States.
For the time being, the program remains on hold, having been frozen by President Trump as soon as he took office.
Recommendations still under study
So far, the Trump administration has not rejected any of these recommendations, according to sources close to the matter. There is no set deadline for accepting or rejecting them.
Cancel the applications of hundreds of thousands of people
Meanwhile, government agencies are encouraging Trump to cancel the applications of hundreds of thousands of people already awaiting admission to the U.S. as refugees, many of whom have already passed thorough security checks and obtained official recommendations.
Reducing the number of refugees
They also advise that the number of refugees welcomed into the U.S. in the next fiscal year should drop to 7,500, reports the Associated Press.
By comparison, the Biden administration had set a goal of 125,000 refugees by 2024.