U.S. President Donald Trump stated on March 6 that no final decision has been made regarding the legal status of 240,000 Ukrainian refugees currently living in the United States. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said he intends to make a decision “pretty soon.”
Earlier that day, Reuters reported that the Trump administration was considering revoking the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for these Ukrainian refugees. If this happens, it could lead to their deportation.
Trump emphasized that his administration does not intend to harm Ukrainian refugees.
“We’re not looking to hurt anybody, and we’re certainly not looking to hurt them,” Trump said. “There are some people who think that’s appropriate, and some who don’t. I’ll be making a decision pretty soon. But we’re not looking to hurt them, especially Ukrainians. They’ve gone through a lot.”
According to four unnamed sources cited by Reuters, the plan to end TPS was developed before Trump’s recent disagreement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Feb. 28. The move is reportedly part of a wider crackdown on the more than 1.8 million people in the U.S. under humanitarian programs.
Later the same day, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt rejected the Reuters report, calling it “fake news” and stating that no decision had been made.
Trump has previously campaigned on promises to deport large numbers of migrants. Since returning to the White House, his administration has started reversing protections for Ukrainian and other refugees.
In January, the administration suspended the Uniting for Ukraine program, which had allowed Ukrainians to stay in the U.S. for up to two years. The program also provided refugees with work permits and health insurance.
Following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, over 6 million Ukrainians fled their country. While most remain in EU nations, approximately 240,000 currently reside in the U.S.
Trump’s potential decision to end TPS has sparked criticism, especially as his administration has simultaneously reduced military support for Ukraine. The White House recently froze all military aid shipments and paused intelligence sharing with Kyiv.
Despite these tensions, Zelensky announced on March 6 that Ukraine and the U.S. had resumed cooperation. He added that delegations from both nations would meet for further discussions the following week.
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