It has been three years since Russia invaded Ukraine and escalated the ongoing war between the two countries. Since then, more than 271,000 Ukrainians have come to the United States, 117,000 under a humanitarian program called (U4U).
As President Donald Trump and his administration meet with top Russian and Ukrainian leaders in an effort to broker peace, his administration has also paused all humanitarian parole programs and is not processing any new applications. There is even concern his administration would revoke U4U.
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WATCH HERE“We are predicting that U4U parole will be revoked just like Cuban, Haitian, Venezuelan and Nicaraguan parole has been revoked. Therefore, U4U parolees should seek to consult with a licensed immigration attorney immediately. The more you wait, the more options are being taken away,” said Dana Bucin, an immigration lawyer and partner with Harris Beach Murtha in Hartford.
Bucin is advising people to speak with a licensed immigration attorney to see if they are eligible to move up to Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a work visa like H-1B, asylum or a green card.
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SIGN UP “What we advise all immigrants these days is to try to secure the next superior status they can because the higher you go, the more protections you have,” said Bucin.
That is exactly what Kateryna Ostrianska is doing. She came to Connecticut under U4U in 2022. She was granted an extension until 2026, but fearing U4U could be revoked, she also applied for asylum.
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If U4U were to be revoked and humanitarian parolees were to be detained and deported, Ostrianska said she has no home to return to. She said she was working for state government in Kherson, one of the first places to be invaded by Russian troops. Ostrianksa said she heard of people she knew getting kidnapped in the middle of the night and the number of landmines make returning to the country unsafe.
“It's a pretty dangerous country because it's a war and it's the most mined country in the world. And that's why it's really not safe for now and I think for a lot of years in the future,” said Ostrianksa.
According to NBC News, about 30% of Ukraine’s territory is infested with land mines, an area that’s equal to the state of Florida.
Ostrianksa is hoping to stay in the United States where she has made a life and is happy helping others.
“My life here is amazing,” Ostrianksa said with a bright smile on her face. “My first job here, I was a teacher for a kids with autism. My second job was being a case manager in a resettlement agency. All this way, I help people and that's why I'm very proud of this. I really like my life here because I can help people,” said Ostrianska.
There is such a backlog of asylum cases though, according to Bucin, who said the USCIS asylum office, with jurisdiction over Connecticut, is processing applications filed eight to nine years ago. There is an expedited asylum claim specifically for Ukrainians. Bucin’s office has successfully done one, but said it still took nine months to be approved and scheduled for an interview. Then after the interview it could take weeks to months before you get a decision from the asylum office.
Bucin’s advice is for people to consult a licensed immigration attorney to avoid making any mistakes on those federal documents, which she said could follow you for life and potentially prevent you from getting a higher status in the U.S.
NBC Connecticut reached out the White House for comment, but is still waiting to hear back.
