**NYT Obtains Government Documents and Reports… Emphasis on “Those Fully Assimilable to the U.S.”**
(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Seo Hye-rim – The New York Times (NYT) reported on the 15th (local time) that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is considering a significant overhaul of the refugee system that favors white people.
Based on documents submitted to the White House by officials from the U.S. Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security in April and July, the NYT reported this.
These documents were prepared following President Trump’s instructions immediately after taking office to reassess whether the current refugee system aligns with national interests.
According to the documents obtained by the NYT, the proposed overhaul includes drastically reducing the current system to its bare bones and giving preferential treatment to English speakers.
The plan particularly emphasizes whether applicants can assimilate into American society and includes the idea of having them take classes on “American history and values” and “respect for cultural norms.”
Additionally, there is a recommendation to favor Europeans who have “been targeted online for expressing peaceful opinions opposing immigration or supporting ‘populist’ parties.” The NYT noted that the populist party mentioned seems to refer to Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).
Previously, key figures in the Trump administration, such as Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, and Vice President JD Vance, had openly supported the AfD or criticized the German government’s crackdown on the party, causing controversy.
A high-ranking official informed the NYT that the Trump administration is monitoring the situation in Europe to determine who is suitable for refugee status.
The overhaul plan also includes provisions to prioritize white South Africans during refugee evaluations.
In May, the Trump administration assisted white South Africans in settling in the U.S. by recognizing them as refugees through unusual “rapid” assessments.
Although white South Africans were notorious for implementing apartheid (a racial segregation policy), their descendants currently claim to be suffering reverse discrimination, losing jobs and being exposed to violence. In response, President Trump revoked support for South Africa in February this year and signed an executive order granting refugee status.
The NYT reported that “some elements have already been implemented even before the official submission of the overhaul plan.”
The proposed overhaul also recommends canceling applications for hundreds of thousands who are already undergoing U.S. entry procedures with refugee status, limiting the number of refugees who can settle in areas with high immigrant populations, and enhancing security screenings, including DNA tests for accompanying children.
Additionally, the documents suggest that refugee eligibility assessments should be recommended by U.S. embassies instead of the United Nations.
The documents argue that “rapid diversity increase has diminished the level of social trust essential for functioning democratic political systems.”
The administration emphasized the need for overhauling relevant systems to welcome “refugees who can fully appropriately assimilate and align with the president’s goals.”
The NYT criticized the proposed overhaul, stating that it attempts to change a program that’s been in place for decades to help the world’s most desperate people, to align with President Trump’s immigration policy “vision,” which it described as helping white individuals claiming persecution while excluding most others.