WSJ: part of Ukrainians in US about to lose temporary legal status and face deportation

About 120,000 Ukrainians who arrived in the United States under the Uniting for Ukraine programme will gradually lose their temporary status for legal stay starting on 15 August, which could lead to their arrests and deportations if the Trump administration does not extend the period of humanitarian protection.

As reported by The Wall Street Journal, about 120,000 Ukrainians who over the past two years fled the war to the United States are expected to gradually lose their humanitarian protection. These are Ukrainians who arrived in the country through the Uniting for Ukraine programme, a temporary legal mechanism created by the Joe Biden administration.

They received a two-year renewable status, known as a humanitarian passport, provided they find a private American sponsor willing to accept them.

The Biden administration introduced the programme as a quick way to allow Ukrainians to resettle, as the traditional US refugee system can take years to process.

However, this approach had a downside – all programme participants received temporary status, putting them at risk of being deported if the programme ended. In addition, if the government wanted to arrest them, it already had their home addresses.

After taking office, Donald Trump shut down the programme and stopped extending the humanitarian status of the refugees whose work permits had expired.

About a quarter of a million Ukrainians came to the United States under the Uniting for Ukraine programme. 

Those who arrived before 16 August 2023 are still under the protection of another programme, which grants them temporary protected status. But about 120,000 Ukrainians who arrived on or after that date will be illegal in the country when their humanitarian password expires.

Trump told reporters earlier this summer that he would favour allowing Ukrainians to stay in the US until the war is over. "I think we will, yeah. We have a lot of people who came in from Ukraine, and we're working with them," Trump said.

On 15 August, he plans to meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska, where they will discuss the war in Ukraine.