A recent notification from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) caused alarm among Ukrainians in the US who entered under a humanitarian parole program initiated during the Biden administration. Some individuals received a “notice of termination of parole” advising them to depart the US within a week, along with a stark warning that the government would take action against those who failed to comply.
However, the following day, DHS clarified the situation, stating that the previous message was sent “in error.” They reassured recipients that no actions would be taken and affirmed that the conditions of their parole remained unchanged. The DHS confirmed to media outlets that the programme was not terminated and indicated there are no plans to discontinue it.
The erroneous communication startled many Ukrainians and their American sponsors, raising uncertainties about their continued residency, especially considering the ongoing conflict stemming from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The “Uniting for Ukraine” programme, introduced by President Biden in 2022, allows Ukrainians to enter the US under humanitarian parole, contingent upon sponsorship by an American citizen or organisation.
This programme allows eligible Ukrainian applicants to travel to the US, offering them the opportunity for work authorisation based on individual assessments. The situation mirrors tensions during the Trump administration, which faced criticism for their stance on humanitarian parole, asserting that the Biden administration had overextended the programme to multiple nationalities. The Trump era saw legal status revoked for over 500,000 migrants from several countries, with a shift back to evaluating cases individually.
Despite the recent mishap, DHS appears committed to maintaining the current humanitarian parole arrangements for Ukrainians amid the ongoing crisis in their homeland.