President Donald Trump is considering revoking temporary legal status for approximately 240,000 Ukrainians who fled the Russian invasion, a move that could accelerate deportation. This decision would reverse the welcome Ukrainians received under President Joe Biden and is part of a broader effort to strip legal status from over 1.8 million migrants in the U.S. under temporary humanitarian parole programs.
Trump has said the decision will be made soon, though the White House has denied any final decision. The rollback could begin in April and affects not only Ukrainians but also 530,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
Revoking legal status would fast-track deportations, especially for migrants who entered legally but were not formally “admitted” to the U.S. This move follows Trump’s January executive order aiming to terminate all categorical parole programs, which were implemented under Biden to provide temporary relief to displaced individuals, including those from Afghanistan and Latin America.
One such case is that of Ukrainian immigrant Liana Avetisian, whose family fears losing their status and being forced to return to war-torn Ukraine. Community leaders are advising Ukrainians on their rights, as many have no homes to return to.
This move is part of Trump’s broader immigration policy rollback, including a recent crackdown on Afghan allies who entered the U.S. under Biden’s programs. One such individual, Rafi, a former Afghan intelligence officer who helped U.S. troops, was detained after his status was revoked, despite his pending asylum case.
The decision on whether to revoke Ukrainian status is expected soon, with deportations possibly beginning in April.
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