Trump Mulls Ending Legal Status for 240,000 Ukrainians, Paving Way for Deportations

Former President Donald Trump reportedly mentioned on Thursday that he would soon make a decision about whether to revoke temporary legal status for around 240,000 Ukrainians who fled the Russian conflict. Such a move would represent a significant reversal of the support Ukrainians received under President Joe Biden’s administration, potentially leading to their expedited deportation.
“We’re not looking to harm anyone, certainly not them, and I’m considering it,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked about ending the Ukrainians’ legal status and possibly deporting them. “Some people think it’s the right decision, while others don’t, and I’ll make a decision soon.”
This potential action to strip protections for Ukrainians is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to remove legal status from over 1.8 million migrants who were granted entry into the U.S. under temporary humanitarian parole programs initiated during the Biden administration, according to a senior Trump official and three other sources familiar with the matter. The revocation could take place as early as April, the sources said. The process began before Trump’s public dispute with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week. A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Tricia McLaughlin, also confirmed there were no new updates on the matter.
An executive order signed by Trump on January 20 instructed DHS to “terminate all categorical parole programs.” The Trump administration also plans to revoke parole for about 530,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans, with action potentially occurring later this month, according to the sources who requested anonymity.
Migrants who lose their parole status could face expedited deportation, as indicated by an internal ICE email reviewed by Reuters. Immigrants who cross the border illegally are subject to expedited removal for up to two years after entering. However, those who entered the U.S. legally at ports of entry without official “admission” — such as those on parole — have no time limit on their rapid removal, the email stated.