The United States temporarily suspended the key U4U program for Ukrainian refugees
Ukrainian society is concerned by the news about the suspension of the United for Ukraine (U4U) program, which since 2022 has become a symbol of US support for those affected by the war. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the temporary suspension of the United for Ukraine (U4U) program, which provided Ukrainians fleeing the war with the opportunity to obtain asylum in the United States. This is stated on the website USCIS.
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that it will no longer accept Form I-134A, the Online Support Request and Declaration of Financial Support. This decision means that new applications for the sponsorship of Ukrainian refugees will not be considered temporarily until USCIS completes the processing of previously submitted applications.
“Due to the January 20, 2025 Securing Our Borders Executive Order, USCIS is suspending the acceptance of Form I-134A, the Online Sponsorship Application, and the Declaration of Financial Support,” – says the warning.
The agency notes that applications will not be accepted until USCIS reviews all requests that have already been submitted.
The program previously allowed Ukrainian refugees to obtain a temporary humanitarian password to enter the United States, allowing them to find safe haven during difficult times. However, President Donald Trump signed an executive order called Securing Our Borders, ordering the Department of Homeland Security to review and cut a number of immigration programs that the administration says are not in line with the country’s priorities. One of these was the U4U program.
The United for Ukraine program was launched in April 2022 at the initiative of the Joe Biden administration. It was aimed at a quick and simplified procedure for providing a temporary humanitarian password for Ukrainians who were forced to leave their homes due to the war. The program became an important support for many families who found themselves in a difficult situation due to military aggression.
The freezing of the program caused considerable indignation both among the Ukrainian community and among American human rights defenders and sponsors. Many consider this decision unacceptable, given the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. Ukrainian families who had high hopes for this program now face uncertainty, which complicates their situation.
According to the US government, as of September 2023, more than 150,000 Ukrainians have used this program, and its suspension could seriously affect those who have already planned to move or are in the process of finding a sponsor.
Experts emphasize that further decisions regarding the fate of the program will depend on political will and public reaction. Meanwhile, refugee support organizations are calling on the US government to review the decision and renew the program to avoid a humanitarian crisis among Ukrainians seeking asylum.
For many Ukrainian refugees, the U4U program has been a symbol of hope and support in the most difficult times, and its suspension could be a serious challenge both for individual families and for relations between countries.
