Latest news with #Ukrainains
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What to know about Trump administration's reported plans to revoke legal status for Ukrainians in US
On March 6, 2025, Reuters reported that U.S. President Donald Trump planned to revoke the legal status of 240,000 Ukrainians in the U.S., with the news story citing four anonymous sources, including one senior official. According to the anonymous sources, the Trump administration was planning to strip the legal status of 1.8 million migrants — 240,000 of them Ukrainians — who came to the U.S. during the Biden administration under "temporary humanitarian parole programs." Following the report, social media users on Facebook (archived), X (archived), Threads (archived), Reddit (archived) and Bluesky (archived) repeated versions of the Reuters story headline. Snopes readers also asked us to look into the claim. However, on March 6, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt took to X (archived) to call the Reuters report "fake news" based on sources "who have no idea what they are talking about." (X user @PressSec) "No decision has been made at this time," Leavitt said. Snopes does not rely on anonymous sources in its reporting and has not independently verified the sources used in the Reuters report. However, Trump administration policy, as laid out in a Jan. 20 executive order, did call for the termination of "categorical parole programs" that consider parole for entire groups of individuals based on pre-set criteria. Parole in immigration terms means an individual was not "formally admitted into the United States" under immigration law, but nonetheless given access to the country. Immigration parole is typically given for a specific reason, like, for example, helping Ukrainian civilians flee war. Trump's order specifically called for the termination of a humanitarian parole program for nationals of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela (CHNV). Pausing the CHNV program also paused Uniting for Ukraine (U4U), a program allowing access to the U.S. for Ukrainians fleeing the war, because the two programs use the same form for financial supporter applications (more on that below). Abolishing U4U, should the Trump administration choose to do so, could potentially make some Ukrainians in the U.S. deportable that weren't before, and lead to a review of existing cases where officials granted parole to Ukrainains. Following the Jan. 20 executive order "Securing Our Borders," the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said on Jan. 28 it was pausing acceptance of Form I-134A. Immigration officials used this form in two programs: CHNV, the program named in Trump's Jan. 20 executive order, and U4U. Form I-134A allowed Americans to apply to be financial supporters of Ukrainian migrants through U4U or Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan and Venezuelan migrants through CHNV. Pausing acceptance of the form meant that no new financial supporters could be accepted, and no travel documents could be issued under the programs, according to the Ukraine Immigration Task Force, a nonprofit helping Ukrainians fleeing war to come to the U.S Both programs allowed nationals of specific countries to obtain short-term (usually around two years) lawful status in the U.S. and the ability to apply for work permits if they had a financial supporter and passed a vetting process. At the time of this writing, it was unclear what would happen to Ukrainians who only held U.S. legal status under the U4U program should it be fully abolished. A Jan. 23 DHS memo titled "Guidance Regarding How to Exercise Enforcement Discretion" instructed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and USCIS staff to review immigration cases for people who border officials previously paroled under programs like CHNV and U4U that were "paused, modified, or terminated" under Trump's Jan. 20 executive order. The memo asked staff to determine whether parole remained "appropriate" or whether the migrant should be placed in "removal proceedings." According to an internal USCIS memo dated Feb. 14, 2025, and cited in reporting from CBS and the National Law Review, USCIS Acting Deputy Director Andrew Davidson asked staff to pause "pending benefit requests" from applicants who came to the U.S. under humanitarian parole programs, including U4U. This pause would effectively mean that migrants with legal status under U4U could not transfer to a different legal status because officials would not process their applications. As U4U did not provide protection against removal, that meant that, for example, Ukrainians in the U.S. who only held U4U legal status would be subject to removal and have no way to apply for another legal status. We have reached out to USCIS to confirm the existence and wording of this memo and await its reply. Confusingly, Trump on March 6 appeared to bring another, separate program into the discussion about the legal rights of Ukrainians in the U.S. While signing executive orders in the Oval Office, a journalist asked Trump whether he was "considering revoking the TPS [temporary protected] status for the more than 200,000 Ukrainians who live here in the U.S." In his reply to the question, Trump said: "I'll be making a decision pretty soon." It was unclear whether Trump was referring to the TPS program, which did not feature in the Reuters report, or the U4U program, which appeared to be what the journalist was actually asking about. We have asked the White House for clarification on Trump's answer and await a reply. TPS is a legal status that nationals of certain designated countries can apply for. Countries can be TPS designated for a number of reasons, including ongoing armed conflict. The TPS program is more extensive than programs like CHNV or U4U, as people with TPS status may work in the country, apply for citizenship when eligible and remain protected from removal while holding the status. U4U (and CHNV) and TPS are separate programs with separate application processes. Ukraine has been a TPS-designated country since April 2022. In January 2025, Biden's Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas extended the designation through October 2026. Should Ukraine's TPS designation end, Ukrainian TPS beneficiaries would once again be eligible for removal unless they held a prior legal status allowing them to stay in the U.S. "Terrorist Trump Wants to Deport Ukrainians from America but Removing War Refugees Is against International Law and a War Crime. 🇺🇦 🤔." Bluesky, 6 Mar. 2025, Fox News. "Trump Signs Executive Orders from Oval Office." YouTube, 6 Mar. 2025, Gazunis, Carol Maxey. "The Trump Administration Is Preparing to Deport 240,000 Ukrainians Who Fled Russia's Attacks on Ukraine and Have Temporary Legal Status in the US." Facebook, 7 Mar. 2025, Guidance Regarding How to Exercise Enforcement Discretion | Homeland Security. Accessed 7 Mar. 2025. Hagearty, Elizabeth. "Form I-134A, Explained." Boundless, 7 Mar. 2025, Hesson, Ted, and Kristina Cooke. "Trump to Revoke Legal Status for 240,000 Ukrainians as US Steps up Deportations." Reuters, 6 Mar. 2025, @itsmemaudeholly. "I DONT CARE ABOUT TARIFFS TODAY, TRUMP ANNOUNCED THEY ARE CANCELLING THE LEGAL STATUS OF 240,000 UKRANIANS AND DEPORTING THEM!!!! PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT THEYRE BURYING TODAY!!!!" Threads, 6 Mar. 2025, @jimomics. "Trump Administration Plans to Revoke Legal Status for 240.000 Ukrainians Who Fled the War Leaving Their Countrymen behind to Die." X, 6 Mar. 2025, Montoya-Galvez, Camilo. U.S. Pauses Immigration Applications for Certain Migrants Welcomed under Biden - CBS News. 19 Feb. 2025, @PressSec. "This Is More Fake News from Reuters Based on Anonymous Sources Who Have No Idea What They Are Talking About. ." X, 6 Mar. 2025, "Securing Our Borders." The White House, 21 Jan. 2025, Temporary Protected Status | USCIS. 26 Feb. 2025, "Temporary Protected Status: An Overview." American Immigration Council, 24 Aug. 2017, Temporary Protected Status Designated Country: Ukraine | USCIS. 17 Jan. 2025, Update on Form I-134A | USCIS. 28 Jan. 2025, USCIS Halts Immigration Applications for Paroled Migrants. Accessed 7 Mar. 2025. USCIS Officially Pauses Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) Applications and Ukrainian Re-Parole until Further Notice – Ukraine Immigration Task Force. Accessed 7 Mar. 2025.
CBS News
08-03-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Ukrainian refugees, supporters rally outside Philadelphia church after Trump administration halts aid to Ukraine
Germantown residents are showing solidarity with Ukraine, by holding an emergency vigil event. This comes after the Trump administration "paused support" to Ukraine amid its ongoing war against Russia. Supporters for Ukraine lined the streets outside of the Unitarian Society of Germantown church on Lincoln Drive Friday night. They held signs and cheered during their "We Stand with Ukraine" emergency vigil. "We are here because the situation in Ukraine is deteriorating," said Mary Kalyna, who is the vigil organizer. "It's a crisis as far as we are concerned. Ukrainian people are suffering," she said The Ukraine supporters vowed to continue to stand up for what they believe in. They say they will continue to stand out here every Friday until there is peace. Also at the vigil were Ukrainians refugees like Panas Shkil and Natalie Omelchemko and her daughter. They say they arrived to the United States during the war with Russia. "We are very afraid of current policy and we would love very much peace for Ukraine," said Natalie Omelchemko. Omelchemko says she fears her family is in danger after learning of reports alleging President Trump could revoke Ukrainains legal status. This news also follows A firestorm inside the Oval Office between President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. "We don't have any place to go and you see all of Ukraine is in danger," she said. For others, they too have family and friends still in Ukraine. "My parents are immigrant they were refugees after WWII and this is not the America they came too," said Kalyna.
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukrainians hold service to mark war anniversary
Ukrainians living in Cumbria have come together to mark the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of their homeland. A service was held at Carlisle Cathedral on Sunday followed by a march for peace. It is estimated about 600 Ukrainians live in the county. Alla Stoica, who organised the service and march, said: "I think it was really important for me and for the Ukrainian community in Cumbria to come here and remind the world about the ongoing struggle." The war has killed tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians, and destroyed swathes of Ukraine. It began when Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022 following its earlier annexation of Ukrainian territory. Ms Stoica added: "It's an opportunity for us to commemorate the people who died for our freedom." The UK welcomed many displaced people under the government's Homes for Ukraine scheme. Now closed, it allowed Ukrainian nationals and their immediate family members to apply for permission to come to the country if they had an approved sponsor. Among those in Carlisle on Sunday to have used it was Olga Leintovea, who has two teenage sons. "It was very hard for them to adapt," she said. "It took a while, but now we are more or less settled. "I work in a school, they go to school, so at least we are here safe." Ms Leintovea said recent remarks by US President Donald Trump around peace talks had proved worrying. Mr Trump last week called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a "dictator", blamed Ukraine for starting the war and said he believed Russia had "the cards" in any peace talks because it has "taken a lot of territory". "It's heart-breaking to hear that after all the support we've had from the Western world," Ms Leintovea said. "Of course it's frustrating for us. That's why we need to be united - all Ukrainains, all Europeans - to stand for freedom and for peace." Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Charity brings Ukraine pizza efforts to 'sad' halt Three years on, Ukraine's extinction nightmare has returned Zelensky willing to give up presidency in exchange for Nato membership
BBC News
24-02-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Ukrainians in Cumbria mark third anniversary of Russian invasion
Ukrainians living in Cumbria have come together to mark the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of their homeland.A service was held at Carlisle Cathedral on Sunday followed by a march for is estimated about 600 Ukrainians live in the Stoica, who organised the service and march, said: "I think it was really important for me and for the Ukrainian community in Cumbria to come here and remind the world about the ongoing struggle." The war has killed tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians, and destroyed swathes of began when Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022 following its earlier annexation of Ukrainian Stoica added: "It's an opportunity for us to commemorate the people who died for our freedom." 'Hard to adapt' The UK welcomed many displaced people under the government's Homes for Ukraine closed, it allowed Ukrainian nationals and their immediate family members to apply for permission to come to the country if they had an approved those in Carlisle on Sunday to have used it was Olga Leintovea, who has two teenage sons."It was very hard for them to adapt," she said. "It took a while, but now we are more or less settled."I work in a school, they go to school, so at least we are here safe." Ms Leintovea said recent remarks by US President Donald Trump around peace talks had proved Trump last week called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a "dictator", blamed Ukraine for starting the war and said he believed Russia had "the cards" in any peace talks because it has "taken a lot of territory"."It's heart-breaking to hear that after all the support we've had from the Western world," Ms Leintovea said."Of course it's frustrating for us. That's why we need to be united - all Ukrainains, all Europeans - to stand for freedom and for peace." Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
