Uniting for Ukraine

A new rule that went into effect March 16, 2026 severely restricts which categories of noncitizens are eligible to hold Commercial Driver's Licenses (CDLs) that are required to drive trucks and other commercial vehicles. States may ONLY issue or renew Non-Domiciled CDLs/CLPs to drivers who have an H-2A, H-2B, or E-2 visa. Simply having an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) is no longer sufficient. This means Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) humanitarian parolees and TPS grantees are no longer eligible to apply for or renew CDLs/CLPs, even if they previously held or currently hold a valid one. Ukrainians driving commercial vehicles who do not have an H-2A, H-2B, or E-2 work visa and a valid CDL are also at greater risk of being stopped, inspected, or detained by police or state transportation authorities. Read more

Four years after Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) was launched, many of the 240,000 Ukrainians paroled through this program remain in the U.S., as well as over 30,000 Ukrainians paroled at the U.S. border. Many cannot return to Ukraine but are finding it difficult to maintain lawful statuses and work permits in the U.S. Although some short-term protections are available, application processing can take several months and even one or more years. Between massive delays and skyrocketing fees, many Ukrainians are living in limbo without proper documentation, exposing them to detention and even deportation. Meanwhile, many long-term statuses are effectively out of reach due to lack of eligibility, qualifying sponsors, or shrinking options. Certain immigration pathways also require parolees to leave the United States, jeopardizing their return. Prompt action is needed to address these critical issues that threaten the security and stability of Ukrainians who sought refuge here. Read and share our report summarizing the current challenges facing Ukrainian parolees and proposed solutions to help safeguard their protections. Read more

As the full-scale war in Ukraine enters its fifth year, tens of millions of Ukrainians have been displaced from their homes. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians fled to the United States between 2022 and 2025. Many more were already living in the U.S. as students, visitors, or temporary workers and weren't able to return to Ukraine. While the United States has offered critical short-term protections to Ukrainians who sought refuge here, some of these protections have expired or are set to expire soon. Unfortunately, the majority of Ukrainians who are here temporarily do not have access to long-term immigration statuses that would allow them to permanently resettle in the U.S. As a result, many Ukrainians are living in limbo, uncertain as to how much longer they can stay here and not knowing where else they can go now. Learn about the current issues and proposed solutions to help Ukrainians who cannot return home remain in the U.S. safely. Read more

Here are our top immigration advocacy goals for Ukrainians. Share the below flyer and help us spread the word about these important issues! You can also read our full report here summarizing the current issues and proposed solutions to help Ukrainians who fled the war stay here safely: Read more

Whether you are preparing to apply for re-parole or recently received a Request for Evidence (RFE) after filing Form I-131, you will need to submit sufficient evidence to USCIS demonstrating that 1) there are continued urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit for you to be issued a new period of humanitarian parole, and 2) that you personally warrant a favorable exercise of discretion of parole. Learn how to write an effective affidavit explaining why you need to stay in the U.S. on humanitarian parole and which evidence is helpful to support it. Read more

Here are our top immigration advocacy goals for Ukrainians. Share the below flyer and help us spread the word about these important issues! Read more

On Oct. 16, 2025, DHS implemented a new $1,000 fee for grants of parole and re/parole. The new fee applies when an individual is either 1) physically paroled into the United States, unless they qualify for an exception, or 2) is already present in the United States and receives a notice from USCIS that their re-parole will be approved. The $1,000 parole grant fee is due in addition to the $580 Form I-131 online filing fee. Note that individuals do not need to pay the additional $1,000 fee when they file Form I-131. Only those who are notified by USCIS that their request will be approved must pay the additional $1,000 parole grant fee. Read more

In June 2025, USCIS resumed processing re-parole and other applications filed by parolees. Although Ukrainians are no longer able to use the streamlined re-parole process that was previously available, they can still apply for re-parole by filing Form I-131 online or by mail and submitting all the required documentation to USCIS. Their re-parole requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis after examining their individual circumstances to determine if another grant of parole is warranted for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public interest. Learn more about re-parole, who is eligible, how to apply, how to renew employment authorization, and recommendations for filing a strong application. Read more

The Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery for 2027 is scheduled to open in the Fall of 2025. Through this program, the U.S. Department of State allocates up to 55,000 immigrant visas annually to individuals who may not have any other options for permanent immigration. Unlike family-based immigrant visas and most employment-based immigrant visas that require a U.S. sponsor, the diversity visa lottery allows individuals to self-sponsor themselves for a green card. Learn more about the diversity visa lottery, eligibility criteria, important dates, and how to apply in our article below. Read more

On June 9, 2025, USCIS issued a memo authorizing immigration officers to resume processing applications filed by parolees. This follows the federal District Court’s May 28th order directing DHS to lift the suspension that had been in effect since February 14. This means that USCIS has resumed processing applications from parolees for work permits, TPS, asylum, green cards, and other immigration benefits. Although the District Court's ruling is good news for Ukrainian parolees seeking more stable immigration statuses and employment authorization, parolees who filed applications in the past 5-10 months could still see long wait times due to major application backlogs. Additionally, re-parole requests and related work permits may not be approved for all applicants due to the White House's restrictions on humanitarian parole grants. Read more