President Trump Considers Revoking Legal Status of Ukrainian Refugees

The Trump administration is reportedly planning to revoke temporary legal status for approximately 240,000 Ukrainians who fled to the U.S. amid the conflict with Russia, potentially fast-tracking their deportation.

This move is part of a broader effort to dismantle humanitarian parole programs initiated under the Biden administration, which allowed approximately 1.8 million migrants to enter the U.S. temporarily. A Trump executive order issued on January 20, 2025, directed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to terminate all categorical parole programs in accordance with his campaign pledge to end what he called unlawful expansions of immigration policy.

If implemented, this policy change could strip legal status from those admitted under programs like Uniting for Ukraine (U4U), leaving them vulnerable to deportation unless they secure alternative legal pathways. The rollback of protections for Ukrainians predates Trump’s recent public dispute with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. At the time of writing, DHS has not yet confirmed these plans, and the White House has denied that a final decision has been made, amid ongoing debates over immigration policy and national security.