The US Department of Homeland Security issued an order to suspend a number of programmes that allowed immigrants to temporarily settle in the country. This included a number of initiatives that provided entry for Ukrainians.
This was reported by The New York Times with reference to an email received by the publication.
According to the directive, officials must immediately suspend final decisions on applications related to these programmes while the administration decides their fate.
One of the programmes that made the list was the Biden administration's Uniting for Ukraine initiative, which allowed Ukrainians in times of war to enter the United States with a financial sponsor. According to the government, as of September 2023, more than 150,000 Ukrainians had benefited from this programme.
The decision also applies to programmes that provided entry to immigrants from Cuba, Haiti and Venezuela. These include initiatives that facilitated family reunification in the United States and support for Central American minors with relatives in the country.
According to the NYT, this decision signals a major overhaul of immigration policy by the administration of President Donald Trump. Administration officials believe that many of these programmes have no legal basis.
A pause in the implementation of the programmes could significantly complicate the situation for immigrants seeking asylum due to instability in their home countries, including citizens of Ukraine, which continues to suffer from Russian aggression.
Author: Danylo Pievchev