Nearly 200,000 Ukrainians in the U.S. Face Legal Limbo Amid Halted Humanitarian Program

23 November 2025

A humanitarian program that once allowed Ukrainian refugees arriving after Russia’s invasion to legally live and work in the United States has been brought to a near-standstill, leaving nearly 200,000 people in a state of legal uncertainty. The program, launched in April 2022 under the previous administration, provided approximately 260,000 Ukrainians with two-year permission to reside and be employed in the U.S.

Since January 2025 the current administration paused application processing and renewal approvals for this programme, citing national-security concerns, and later introduced a new $1,000 fee on top of existing costs. By March 31 internal U.S. government data shows that almost 200,000 Ukrainians were at risk as their statuses approached expiration without a clear path forward.

One case at the centre of this emerging crisis is 35-year-old Kateryna Golizdra, who lost her work permit when her legal status lapsed in May. She described the loss of a six-figure salary and health insurance she relied on for treatment of a liver condition. “It is constant stress and anxiety,” she told reporters.

Advocacy lawyers say the consequences have rippled through the Ukrainian community in America. Twenty-four individuals interviewed by the news agency included tech workers, teachers and drivers. All described mounting debt, job losses and a fear of arrest by immigration officials. Some respondents reported that they were remaining indoors or left the country altogether, unable to stomach the risk of being undocumented.

Despite a federal judge ordering the renewal process to resume in May, the data shows that only around 1,900 renewal applications have been processed since that ruling a tiny fraction of those in need. With so few processed, the backlog remains enormous and many remain vulnerable to deportation or removal.

Some Ukrainians have chosen to leave the U.S. voluntarily in what one described as “self-deportation.” One example is 31-year-old software engineer Yevhenii Padafa who moved to New York in 2023, submitted his renewal paperwork in March and saw no response before his status expired in September. He ultimately travelled to Argentina, which has less expensive living costs and a more open humanitarian intake.

The U.S. government’s new rules include stricter re-entry conditions and a steep application fee, effectively locking many out of legal pathways. The Trump administration’s policy shift also included a review of humanitarian parole programs on a broader scale. One senior official said that shifting priorities and tighter controls were required in light of “security concerns.”

Members of Congress and immigrant-rights advocates have voiced alarm. Representative Mike Quigley said his office has received well over 200 requests for aid from Ukrainians in limbo, and the legal aid network designated for Ukrainian immigrants reports regular calls from families dealing with detention or restricted mobility.

Reuters

For the individuals affected this is more than a shift in paperwork. The human stakes are high. Many left Ukraine after experiencing war-time trauma, displacement and family separation, only to find themselves in the U.S. without certainty. Returning home is not an option for many some had lost homes in towns ravaged by war or would face conscription on return.

In practical terms the limbo means loss of employment, delay in benefits, and restricted access to medical care. Golizdra said that she could not continue sending aid to her displaced mother in Germany. Others said they feared arrest simply for being unable to renew their permits.

From a policy perspective the situation exposes the fragility of humanitarian programmes that rely on renewal rather than permanent legal status. The U.S. had created this parole pathway under one administration and then paused it under the next, leaving participants vulnerable to changing political priorities. The patchwork nature of such programmes is now under scrutiny.

Observers say the implications may be broader. If nearly 200,000 people remain in legal limbo, employer staffing, regional economies and humanitarian obligations may all be affected. The United States has committed to supporting Ukrainian refugees, yet the policy uncertainty is undercutting that commitment for a substantial minority.

As winters approach and war remains ongoing in Ukraine, the individuals affected face prolonged uncertainty. For now the stakes remain deeply personal: job security, health care, legal status and family safety. Whether Congress or the administration will intervene remains to be seen, but for the Ukrainians stuck in the middle the wait continues and the option of being thrust back into a wartime country remains a looming fear.