Ukrainian migrants face increased scrutiny in US – media
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has reportedly halted the processing of applications for benefits by migrants who entered the country under special programs established during Joe Biden’s presidency. This action, which affects tens of thousands of Ukrainians, effectively closes off avenues to other protection statuses, CBS News reported on Tuesday.
The previous administration utilized presidential parole to grant legal entry to specific groups deemed vulnerable or valuable to the US. President Donald Trump suspended these programs upon taking office last month. The initiative designed for Ukrainians known as Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) allowed more than 117,000 individuals to enter the US by mid-2023.
A memo dated February 14 from acting USCIS Deputy Director Andrew Davidson, cited by CBS, mandates an agency-wide “administrative pause” on all “pending benefit requests” from individuals who entered the US under U4U and two similar categorical parole programs for people from Latin America and the Caribbean.
The initiatives required an American sponsor to endorse an applicant prior to entry and typically provide temporary work and residency permits. Davidson’s directive eliminates the option to pursue other legal statuses, including permanent Green Card residency, thereby exposing recipients to potential deportation, CBS explained.
Davidson expressed concern over widespread fraud and the failure to investigate potential public safety risks associated with the three programs. He referenced the Biden administration’s decision last year to temporarily suspend CHNV, a parole initiative for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans.
Davidson said investigators uncovered thousands of CHNV applications with “serial sponsors” and other dubious information, with some cases confirmed as fraudulent. The memo added that some migrants were not “fully vetted.” The pause may reportedly be lifted following a “comprehensive review and evaluation” of the relevant population.
Trump’s 2024 presidential election campaign included a pledge to combat mass migration across the southern border and initiate large-scale deportations of individuals residing illegally in the US. Suspending categorical parole programs is part of his administration’s strategy to fulfill these commitments.
