Court orders Trump administration to resume humanitarian applications: what does this mean for Ukrainians?

A federal court has ordered the US government to resume processing refugee applications under humanitarian programs, including Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) for Ukrainians. Find out what's changing for refugees in the US

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A federal court in the United States has issued a historic ruling that will affect the lives of hundreds of thousands of people who came to the United States on humanitarian programs. Donald Trump's administration is now obliged to resume processing immigration applications for immigration benefits, including work permits and adjustment of status - including Ukrainians, Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, Venezuelans and other citizens who have been granted temporary humanitarian status. This is reported in the official press release of the human rights organization Justice Action Center.

What did the US court decide about refugees and who is affected?

The court ordered the U.S. administration to resume consideration of applications for immigration assistance for persons staying in the country under humanitarian programs. It is not only about submitting new documents, but also about resuming consideration of already submitted applications, in particular:

● work permits

● adjustment of immigration status (adjustment of status)

● Temporary Protected Status (TPS) applications,

● asylum applications,

● repeated parole applications.

This applies to programs such as:

● Uniting for Ukraine, a program for the temporary humanitarian admission of Ukrainians;

● Operation Allies Welcome - for Afghan citizens;

● Humanitarian parole for minors from Central America;

● Humanitarian parole for family reunification;

● Humanitarian parole for military personnel and their families;

● CHNV (Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Venezuela) - a humanitarian parole for refugees from these four countries.

The court also certified a nationwide class, meaning that the decision applies not only to the plaintiffs, but to all individuals in the United States who are protected by these humanitarian programs and do not have an individual lawsuit regarding their situation.

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Why is this decision important for Ukrainians?

After russia's full-scale invasion, thousands of Ukrainians were granted temporary humanitarian authorization to stay in the United States. The Uniting for Ukraine program allowed them to legally enter and temporarily live in the country. However, due to the change in the administration's political course, the consideration of applications for further processing of status, work permits or extension of stay has been suspended.

This decision opens up the possibility for Ukrainians to restore or extend their status in the United States legally. However, it is important to note that the court's decision is interlocutory, which means that applications will be accepted while the case is pending. At the same time, the U.S. government has the right to challenge the ruling in the Supreme Court by filing an appeal.

By the way, if you need qualified support in preparing documents or legalizing your stay in the United States, contact Visit Ukraine's migration lawyers. They help Ukrainians around the world, including in complex migration matters.

We remind you! After the United States, Ukrainians can apply for re-protection in Europe or Latin America. Read about which countries accept refugees, what legal nuances are important to consider, and how to get legal assistance in our previous article.

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