President Donald Trump and his higher-ups were revealed in a New York Times report on Wednesday to be considering a massive overhaul of the U.S. refugee system, already stripped to the bone, to highly privileged English speakers, white people, and even supporters of far-right parties in Europe.
The report sparked immediate outrage from commenters on social media.
"Instead of granting refugee status to the most vulnerable, the Trump admin is considering prioritizing English speakers, Europeans who oppose migration, and people who think they're being persecuted for being white," wrote Kaiser Family Foundation reporter Arielle Zionts. "Admin documents say the U.S. has become too diverse."
"@nytimes reports the Trump administration is considering a race-based refugee system -- favoring white people -- the same day Republicans tell SCOTUS that race-based redistricting rules are unconstitutional," wrote legal reporter Wendy Davis, referencing oral arguments in a heavily-watched Supreme Court case that could strike down or limit the use of the last remaining significant provision of the Voting Rights Act.
"Trump Considers Overhaul of Refugee System That Would Favor White People: give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses... your neo-Nazis..." wrote counterterrorism author Phil Gurski.
"Basically, Trump plans to conform the US refugee system to fit his racist, white supremacist views. Shame!" wrote labor activist Phil Robertson.
"Correction: it's an overhaul to the U.S. refugee program that would favor white *supremacists*. No I'm not joking, or even exaggerating," wrote Canadian barrister Phil Pothen.