United States President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he will soon decide whether to revoke the temporary legal status of about 240,000 Ukrainians who fled the conflict with Russia, confirming a report from Reuters which indicated government plans to take this initiative. If realized, the measure would represent a significant reversal of the Ukrainian reception policy adopted by Joe Biden’s previous government, and could put them at risk of accelerated deportation.
“We don’t want to hurt anyone, we certainly don’t want to hurt them, and I’m analyzing it,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Hall when asked about the subject. “Some people think this is appropriate, and some people don’t, and I’ll make the decision soon.” The possible revocation of protections to Ukrainians is part of a broader trump government effort to remove the legal status of more than 1.8 million migrants who were allowed to enter the US under temporary humanitarian freedom programs created during the Biden government, according to a government authority and three sources close to the subject.
Sources stated that measures to revoke Ukrainians status can be announced as early as April. They also indicated that plans for this revocation precede the public discussion between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy last week. Nevertheless, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt denied that a decision has already been made, in a publication on social network X. “No decision has been made so far,” Leavitt wrote.
The spokeswoman for the Department of Internal Security (DHS), Tricia McLaughlin, said on Wednesday that the agency had no news on the subject. Meanwhile, Ukrainian government agencies did not respond to requests for comment. The uncertainty about the future of Ukrainians in the US has generated concern between human rights groups and refugee organizations, especially in the face of the possibility of mass deportations.
A decree signed by Trump on January 20 asked DHS to “end all categorical parole programs.” The measure reflects the rigid stance of the current government regarding immigration and can impact thousands of people who sought refuge in the United States amid humanitarian crises and international conflicts.
