Legal Updates

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has suspended the processing of all immigration applications filed by individuals who entered on parole programs, including Ukrainians who entered on U4U. This affects applications filed by parolees for asylum, TPS, EADs, advance parole travel, adjustment of status, naturalization, and others. While USCIS officers may continue to work on cases already filed, they are not allowed to issue any decisions while the administrative pause is in effect. Parolees who planned to apply or recently applied for another lawful status through USCIS will not be able to obtain any approvals for the foreseeable future. Read more

On Monday, January 27, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it would stop accepting new applications for the Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) program pending the Trump Administration's review of all humanitarian parole programs. This means that no new sponsor applications (Form I-134a) for Ukrainians will be processed until further notice, and no new travel authorizations will be issued to Ukrainian beneficiaries. For now, those who already arrived on Uniting for Ukraine may remain in the U.S. for as long as their parole period is valid. Read more

All people who are living in the United States have certain rights that are given to them by the U.S. Constitution. This includes citizens, lawful permanent residents, those who are here on a visa, those with humanitarian parole, other immigrants, and those who are undocumented. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has authority to investigate, apprehend, arrest, detain, and remove noncitizens who are within the United States unlawfully or who have committed acts that make them deportable. If you or someone you know are approached by ICE, know your rights at work, at home, and in public places. Read more

Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced an extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ukraine for 18 months, through October 19, 2026, due to the ongoing war and extraordinary conditions in Ukraine that prevent individuals from safely returning. Ukrainian nationals (and individuals without nationality who last resided in Ukraine) are eligible to re-register for TPS if they arrived on or before August 16, 2023 and have been continuously residing in the United States since that date -- with or without lawful immigration status. Read more

Following new laws passed by the Ukrainian government, male U.S. citizens ages 18-60 with Ukrainian nationality may be subject to military registration requirements and restricted travel out of Ukraine. In addition, Ukrainian males in the U.S. can no longer receive Ukrainian passport renewals or other consular services without Ukrainian military documents. Learn more about U.S. and Ukrainian citizenship laws, rights and obligations of dual citizens, and travel advisories for U.S. citizens in Ukraine. Read more

The Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act has been signed into law. In addition to sending critical aid to Ukraine, this legislation also provides humanitarian assistance, including renewed funding for Ukrainian refugees in the United States. The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) has been authorized to resume providing resettlement assistance to Ukrainians paroled between October 1, 2023 and September 30, 2024. Learn more about these resettlement benefits in our article here. Read more

Many Ukrainians who arrived in the U.S. since Feb. 2022 qualify for both TPS and humanitarian parole/re-parole. Although individuals can hold both of these statuses at the same time, there are some key differences. Learn more about the the eligibility criteria, application procedures, periods of protection, access to benefits, advantages and disadvantages of TPS vs. humanitarian parole for Ukrainians in our article here. Read more

On February 27, 2024, USCIS announced that certain Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members who were paroled into the United States can now apply to USCIS for re-parole. Learn more about who is eligible, when to apply, what documents are required, procedures for adults and minors, how to renew employment authorization, and other important details. Read more

For Ukrainians who held TPS in the initial term but have not yet re-registered to extend their TPS status, USCIS provides a limited opportunity for individuals to re-register for TPS if they can show good cause for why they are filing after the October 20th deadline has passed. Read more

On September 27, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a Policy Alert regarding employment authorization for noncitizens. The Policy Alert provides updated validity periods for certain Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) and clarifies the agency's official position on employment incident to parole for certain Ukrainians. Read more