The Trump administration is preparing to revoke temporary legal protections for approximately 240,000 Ukrainians who fled Russia’s invasion, a policy shift that could expedite their deportation. The plan, which may take effect as early as April, marks a stark departure from the Biden administration’s approach, which granted refuge to those escaping the war.
This effort precedes Trump’s recent public clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and forms part of a sweeping initiative to dismantle temporary humanitarian parole programs established under Biden. According to sources familiar with the matter, over 1.8 million migrants admitted under these programs—including 530,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans—could lose protections as soon as this month.
A January 20 Trump executive order directed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to “terminate all categorical parole programs.” Migrants stripped of parole status may face expedited removal, per an internal ICE email reviewed by Reuters. Those who entered legally via ports of entry but were not formally “admitted” could be subjected to rapid deportation indefinitely, the email noted.
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated the department had “no announcements at this time,” while the White House and Ukrainian embassy declined to comment.
The Biden-era programs aimed to curb illegal border crossings by offering legal pathways and humanitarian relief. Beyond Ukrainians, they included over 70,000 Afghans fleeing the Taliban, 1 million migrants who scheduled border crossings via the CBP One app, and smaller initiatives like family reunification parole for select Latin American and Caribbean nationals.
Trump, who vowed during his campaign to dismantle Biden’s parole policies, has called them unlawful. Last month, his administration paused processing immigration applications for certain parole beneficiaries. CBS News first reported the plans to revoke protections for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans.
