The United States has suspended the consideration of applications from Ukrainians who arrived in the country under special humanitarian parole programs
The situation of Ukrainian refugees in the United States has become much more complicated due to changes in the country’s immigration policy. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, many Ukrainians have found temporary refuge in the US under humanitarian password programs such as United for Ukraine (U4U). However, a recent decision by the US Department of Homeland Security has suspended the processing of applications for adjustment of immigration status for those who arrived under these programs. This caused a wave of concern among Ukrainian refugees and immigration lawyers.
USA suspended consideration of immigration applications submitted by Ukrainians who arrived in the country under special humanitarian password programs. This decision also applies to immigrants from Haiti, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, as well as those who benefited from the Family Reunification Program (FRP). As explained by the US Department of Homeland Security, such a step is related to the need to conduct an additional check to identify possible cases of fraud, threats to public and national security.
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has temporarily suspended processing of all pending adjustment of status applications from individuals who arrived under the above programs. Until the review is complete, these applications will remain pending, which is likely to cause significant immigration delays.
According to Iryna Mazur, an immigration attorney and Honorary Consul of Ukraine in Philadelphia, this means that all applicants will face significant difficulties in the process of changing their status. At the same time, she noted that Ukrainians can still take advantage of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program, which the US Department of Homeland Security recently extended until October 2026. She emphasized that this program is protected by law and remains available to Ukrainians in the United States.
CBS News, citing its own sources, reported that the decision on the administrative pause for consideration of applications to change immigration status was made based on a memorandum of USCIS official Andrew Davidson dated February 14, 2025. However, the official details of this document have not yet been made public. Iryna Mazur noted that such an internal memorandum cannot cancel the laws passed by the US Congress, and the legal community and immigration experts will respond to the further development of the situation.
As of March 2023, more than 118,000 Ukrainians have arrived in the United States under the United for Ukraine (U4U) program. About 103,700 Ukrainian citizens are currently in the country under the TPS program. Also, another 25,000 Ukrainians entered the US through the land border with Mexico at the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
The administration of US President Donald Trump at the end of January 2025 has already suspended the acceptance of new applications under the U4U program, which has become another restriction for Ukrainian migrants. Despite this, immigration lawyers emphasize that there are legal mechanisms for challenging such decisions and the possibility of legal stay of Ukrainians in the USA.
Thus, Ukrainian refugees in the USA face new challenges in the process of obtaining a residence permit. However, human rights defenders urge not to lose hope, because there are alternative programs and legal ways to legalize the status. The legal community and organizations supporting Ukrainian immigrants continue to work to ensure their rights and the ability to stay in the country legally.
