President Donald Trump's administration has suspended consideration of all immigration applications submitted by migrants from Ukraine and Latin America who intended to seek asylum in the United States under programs introduced under the presidency of Joe Biden. It cited threats of fraud and security issues. The decision will most affect Ukrainians traveling to the United States under the Uniting for Ukraine program.
This was reported by CBS News
According to CBS News, the suspension will continue indefinitely while government officials work to identify potential fraud and improve vetting procedures to reduce national and public safety risks.
The move affects several programs established by the Biden administration that have allowed hundreds of thousands of foreigners to enter the United States legally under humanitarian law.
In particular, the list includes the Uniting for Ukraine program, which was created to provide a safe haven for Ukrainians in times of war. The program has already provided asylum to some 240,000 Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion.
Since the migrants received temporary work permits and protection from deportation for two years, many have applied for other immigration programs, such as Temporary Protected Status (TPS), asylum, or permanent residency. However, under an internal directive from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the review of these applications has also been suspended.
For example, USCIS official Andrew Davidson noted that the Biden administration said the move was justified because of detected fraud and security issues. He also pointed to investigations that uncovered thousands of applications with serial sponsors, information about deceased individuals, or identical addresses. Davidson stressed that some of these cases have been confirmed as fraudulent, and some migrants have failed security checks.
Journalists note that this decision has become a real challenge for many Ukrainians who were in the process of applying for immigration benefits to stay in the United States legally.
It is not yet known when the applications will resume, as officials continue to work on "improving" vetting procedures and identifying potential threats.
Author: Inna Mikhno