The Trump administration is set to revoke temporary legal status for approximately 240,000 Ukrainians who sought refuge in the U.S. after fleeing the war with Russia, potentially putting them at risk of deportation, sources say.
The move, expected as soon as April, signals a sharp departure from President Biden’s more welcoming immigration policies. It is part of a broader effort to terminate legal protections for over 1.8 million migrants admitted under Biden’s humanitarian parole programs, according to a **Reuters** report.
A January 20 executive order directed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to end these programs, affecting 530,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. Migrants losing parole status could face expedited deportation, as outlined in an **Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)** memo. Under current law, individuals admitted under parole programs—without formal immigration status—can be removed without time restrictions.
Biden’s parole programs were designed to provide temporary legal pathways and humanitarian aid for migrants, covering not only Ukrainians but also Latin Americans, 70,000 Afghans, and over a million others who entered using the **CBP One** app. However, Trump had vowed to dismantle these programs, arguing they exceeded legal boundaries.
The sudden shift in policy has left many migrants in limbo. **Liana Avetisian**, a Ukrainian refugee who fled Kyiv in 2023 and settled in Iowa, now faces an uncertain future as her parole and work permit expire in May.
Similarly, Rafi a former Afghan intelligence officer trained by the U.S., was detained in Virginia after his parole was revoked. Speaking on his plight, he said, “I wasn’t expecting this behavior from them.” ICE denied his petition for release, citing changing priorities under the Trump administration.
With deportations looming, the fate of thousands remains uncertain as legal battles and policy debates continue.
