Trump Administration Apologizes for Mistakenly Informing Ukrainian Refugees of Legal Status Revocation

The Trump administration has issued an apology after mistakenly informing some Ukrainian refugees that their legal status in the US was being revoked, causing panic among the community.

According to CBS News, about 240,000 Ukrainians have been settled in the US under the Uniting for Ukraine program, which offers temporary work permits and deportation protections to migrants on humanitarian grounds. However, some resettled Ukrainians received emails this week stating that their legal protections were being terminated by the Department of Homeland Security.

The notice warned recipients to leave the US immediately or face potential law enforcement actions and removal. It even encouraged self-deportation, causing fear and confusion among the Ukrainian community in the US.

Fortunately, the DHS later clarified that the notice was sent in error and that the U4U program had not been terminated. A follow-up message reassured recipients that no action would be taken regarding their parole.

This incident comes amidst a backdrop of immigration policy changes under the Trump administration, including the cancellation of programs for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans. The rescinded notice has raised concerns among Ukrainians in the US, who fear they could face similar cancellations affecting other nationalities.

In a related development, a federal judge has given the Trump administration until Monday to return a Maryland man who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador in March. The judge ruled that federal officials had acted without legal basis in the deportation of the Salvadoran national, who was living in Maryland legally.

Despite acknowledging the mistake, administration officials have indicated that there may be limited options to return the deported individual. The Justice Department has stated its intention to appeal the judge’s decision in this case.