Trump plans to rescind the legal status of 240,000 Ukrainians who escaped the conflict with Russia.

The Trump administration is set to revoke temporary legal status for approximately 240,000 Ukrainians who escaped the conflict with Russia, which could lead to expedited deportation. This decision, anticipated as early as April, marks a significant shift from the support Ukrainians received during President Biden’s tenure. 

The initiative to rescind protections for Ukrainians was already in motion prior to Trump’s recent public dispute with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and is part of a larger strategy to eliminate legal status for over 1.8 million migrants who entered the U.S. under temporary humanitarian ‘parole programs ‘established by the Biden administration. 

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Tricia McLaughlin, said that there are no announcements at this time, and both the White House and the Ukrainian embassy have not provided comments.

 An executive order from Trump issued on January 20 directed DHS to “terminate all categorical parole programs.” The administration also intends to revoke parole for around 530,000 individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela imminently, as reported by CBS News . Those who lose their parole status may face rapid deportation proceedings, as indicated in an internal ICE email reviewed by Reuters.

While immigrants who cross the border illegally can be subjected to expedited removal for two years, those who entered through legal ports of entry without formal admission, such as those on parole, face no time limit on their swift removal.

The initiatives introduced by the Biden administration aimed to establish temporary legal avenues to discourage illegal immigration while offering humanitarian assistance. These programs not only supported 240,000 Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion and 530,000 individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, but also included over 70,000 Afghans escaping the Taliban’s rule in Afghanistan.

 Additionally, around 1 million migrants utilized an app called CBP One to schedule appointments for legal border crossings. Also , numerous individuals benefited from smaller initiatives, such as family reunification parole for select individuals from Latin America and the Caribbean. 

In contrast, Trump, during his campaign, vowed to terminate the Biden programs, arguing that they exceeded the limits set by U.S. law.