US may not extend temporary protection for over 100,000 Ukrainians
Photo source: Office of the President
The administration of White House chief Donald Trump may not extend temporary protected status for over 100,000 Ukrainians, whose status expires on October 19. A group of US lawmakers urges the administration not to make any decisions before the current term ends, as the protection would automatically renew for another 6 months in that case.
According to Rubryka, Politico reported that US lawmakers currently have until October 19 to extend or cancel temporary protection for Ukrainians.
According to the publication, a group of representatives from both American parties hopes the Trump administration will extend temporary protection for Ukrainians. At the same time, some politicians support another scenario: waiting for the current term of status to expire, which provides for an automatic six-month extension.
However, such an approach could leave Ukrainians in a state of legal uncertainty. Politico recalls that last month, the administration applied a similar tactic regarding refugees from El Salvador. As a result, whether citizens of that country had the right to work and study in the United States legally remained unclear.
As the publication notes, waiting until the status expires could help Trump avoid a political scandal over the potential deportation of Ukrainians ahead of the midterm elections.
"The significant negative political reaction that an administration's attempt to deport Ukrainians would cause is the main factor here. Keeping them in limbo, like citizens of El Salvador, is wrong, but it may become the most likely scenario for the administration," a congressional source told Politico.
Meanwhile, on September 22, a bipartisan group of US senators sent a letter to the Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, and the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, emphasizing the vital role of Ukrainians in the American economy.
Specifically, Ukrainians make up a significant share of workers in the US transport, healthcare, and construction sectors. The senators warned that losing their right to stay and work due to the expiration of temporary protected status could "lead to higher costs for American consumers."
Background
As reported, the White House did not clarify what specific decision it is preparing regarding Ukrainians. Politico's request was redirected to the US Department of Homeland Security, which also did not directly comment on the program's future.
According to the publication, the final decision may also depend on broader relations between Washington and Kyiv.
It should be noted that in January last year, the United States extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ukrainian citizens for another 18 months.
