The U.S. Has Called Into Question Deportation Protection for More Than 100,000 Ukrainians — Politico
The Trump administration must decide whether to extend temporary protection for more than 100,000 Ukrainians currently in the U.S. due to the war. According to Politico, one scenario involves no official decision, which could automatically extend the status for another six months but would leave Ukrainians in limbo.
The Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ukrainians in the U.S. expires on October 19, 2026. The TPS program allows citizens of countries experiencing war or other extraordinary circumstances to legally reside in the United States and work if they cannot safely return home.
According to Politico, some U.S. lawmakers from both parties are hoping for a full extension of the protection. At the same time, Congress is considering a fallback option: the administration may announce neither an extension nor a termination of the status.
A similar scenario has already been applied to Salvadoran citizens. After their protection expired in September, the White House allowed it to be extended for another six months.
A congressional aide familiar with the bipartisan discussions told the publication that such an approach could be politically convenient for the administration, but would leave Ukrainians without a clear understanding of their future.
“It’s wrong to keep them in limbo, as with El Salvador, but this could be a likely path for the administration,” the Politico source said.
According to the publication, some lawmakers consider this option preferable to completely repealing the protection.
Proponents of strict immigration policies in Congress are calling for an end to TPS programs. They argue that temporary protection is often extended indefinitely, and the presence of foreign workers can create competition for Americans in the labor market.
Other Republicans and many Democrats support extending the status for Ukrainians. Senator Jean Shaheen, a consistent advocate for Ukraine, is calling on the administration to maintain the protection, though she acknowledges the complexity of such a decision given the White House’s current immigration policy.
This is not the first time there has been uncertainty surrounding the status of Ukrainians. In March 2025, Donald Trump stated that he was considering ending temporary protection but did not want to harm Ukrainians. At the time, the White House denied that it had already decided to revoke the status of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian citizens.
In late September, a bipartisan group of senators appealed to Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, urging them to extend protection for Ukrainians for another 18 months.
Lawmakers emphasized that Russian attacks are ongoing and that returning to Ukraine remains dangerous. They also highlighted the contribution Ukrainians make to the U.S. economy. According to data cited by the senators, approximately 101,000 Ukrainians with TPS are employed in sectors such as transportation, healthcare, and construction. In their view, ending this protection could impact these industries and increase costs for American consumers.
Some lawmakers have supported initiatives to extend protection for Ukrainians through 2029. However, these proposals still need to go through the legislative process.
The White House referred questions regarding the future of TPS to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which did not directly comment on the situation. A spokesperson for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Zach Kaler, also declined to discuss the future of Ukrainians’ status.
According to him, the agency continues to review individual applications for renewal of Temporary Protected Status, including those from Ukrainian citizens.
A source familiar with internal discussions within the administration told Politico that the decision could be influenced by the overall state of relations between Washington and Kyiv.
“Right now, there’s no incentive to do anything positive for Ukraine,” he said.
According to the source, the simplest option for the administration would be to let the protection expire. At the same time, completely revoking the status could draw criticism due to the risk of Ukrainians being sent back to a country where war is ongoing.
The U.S. administration must decide on its next steps by October 19. Possible scenarios include an official extension of the protection, its termination, or no decision at all—in which case an automatic extension mechanism could kick in.
The latter option would give Ukrainians an additional six months but would not guarantee long-term status. Longer-term protection may require a separate decision by the administration or the passage of relevant legislation by Congress.
Source: Politico
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