Trump wants to deprive Ukrainian refugees of legal status: details

240,000 Ukrainians risk being left without legal status in the United States. This could potentially lead to their deportation. For more details on what decision the Trump Administration plans to make regarding refugees, please read this article

Legal counselling on migration issues

GET

The administration of US President Donald Trump is planning to cancel the temporary legal status of about 240,000 Ukrainian refugees who have found themselves in the United States fleeing the war. According to Reuters, this step could potentially lead to their deportation as early as April.

💡Need help with migration issues?

Get professional support from Visit Ukraine lawyers!

Background to the decision

According to the agency's sources, the initiative to revoke the legal status of migrants began to take shape even before Donald Trump's recent public spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. However, right now, the Trump administration is considering broader measures that will affect not only Ukrainians but also other groups of migrants.

In total, according to Reuters, the US administration plans to revoke the legal status of more than 1.8 million people who were previously allowed to stay in the country temporarily under humanitarian programmes launched during previous administrations. It also mentions that more than 530,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans, as well as about 70,000 Afghans, are in a similar situation.

There have been no official statements from the US Department of Homeland Security or the White House, nor have there been any comments from the Ukrainian embassy. However, an internal email from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), seen by Reuters, mentions the possibility of ‘expedited deportation proceedings.’

Read also: How can Ukrainians go to the US in 2025 if U4U is stopped?

Don't want to miss important updates and useful articles? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter!

Trump and the fight against migrants

Since the first hours of his presidency, Donald Trump has been actively promoting anti-immigration policies: he has declared a state of emergency on the border with Mexico, cancelled the automatic granting of birthright citizenship in the United States, and suspended programmes that allowed immigrants to temporarily live in the country. The new move to revoke the legal status of Ukrainians who fled the war fits into the general line of harsh rhetoric on migration issues.

Europe fears a new wave of refugees

Against the backdrop of Donald Trump's statements about the protracted conflict in Ukraine, the European Union is preparing for a possible new wave of Ukrainian refugees. According to official figures, 4.3 million Ukrainian citizens are currently under temporary protection in the EU.

German Interior Minister Nancy Feser said that if the events in Ukraine escalate and the US really cuts its support, another wave of internally displaced persons may arise. In this case, she calls for ‘a mandatory distribution of refugees across the EU’ - based on a fair mechanism. Germany has already taken in more than 1.1 million Ukrainians, Poland - 985,000, and the Czech Republic - 380,000; these three countries together have sheltered more than half of all Ukrainian citizens granted temporary protection in Europe.

At the same time, Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner announced his intention to end the family reunification programme, as Austria ‘has already taken in more refugees per capita than many other countries and has done its part’. Vienna now wants to focus on integrating those already in the country.

Despite the fact that Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic are currently home to the largest number of Ukrainians, a comparison of the local population shows that the Baltic States, Slovakia and Ireland have also received a significant influx of refugees.

Visit Ukraine's lawyers help Ukrainians obtain temporary protection, prepare the necessary documents, understand migration procedures, and find the best solution even in the most difficult situations. They accompany you at every stage, ensuring that all formalities are completed quickly and safely.

Book a consultation now and get professional legal support!

We remind you! The EU has set a deadline for the launch of new entry rules under the EAS system, which will also apply to Ukrainians.

Want to know more? Read the latest news and useful materials about Ukraine and the world in the News section.

Our recommendation for a safe and comfortable trip: 

Visit Ukraine Insurance - insurance for a safe stay abroad without unnecessary expenses;

Green Card - compulsory car insurance for traveling abroad;

Visit Ukraine Tickets - book tickets for buses, trains, and airplanes to/from Ukraine and between cities around the world;

Private Lawyer service - professional legal support on visa and migration issues;

Visit Ukraine Merch - buy patriotic clothing and accessories with worldwide delivery.

© 2018-2025, Visit Ukraine. Use, copying or reprinting of materials on this site is permitted only with a link (hyperlink for online publications) to Visit Ukraine.

All rights reserved.