The White House has strongly denied reports that the Trump administration is planning to revoke temporary legal status for 240,000 Ukrainians who fled Russia’s war, dismissing the claim as “fake news.”
The original story, published by Reuters, cited anonymous sources claiming that the administration was preparing to end protections as early as April, potentially putting thousands of Ukrainians on a fast track to deportation. However, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt pushed back against the report, saying no such decision has been made.
“This is more fake news from Reuters based on anonymous sources who have no idea what they are talking about,” Leavitt wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
While the White House denies the specific claim about Ukrainians losing temporary status, it’s no secret that the Trump administration has taken an aggressive stance on immigration.
Since taking office, Trump has signed 10 executive orders aimed at reversing Biden-era policies and tightening border security. One of the most significant moves came on January 20, when he ordered the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to terminate all categorical parole programs.
This sweeping change affects 1.8 million migrants who were allowed to enter the U.S. under President Joe Biden, including those from Ukraine, Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. The move sparked outrage from pro-immigration groups, and a coalition of American citizens and immigrants has already filed a lawsuit against the administration to try to restore these programs.
One Ukrainian family, Liana Avetisian, her husband, and their 14-year-old daughter, fled Kyiv in 2023 and settled in DeWitt, Iowa. Now, their legal status remains uncertain. “We don’t know what to do,” Avetisian told Reuters.
Despite Democratic outrage, polling suggests that the American public broadly supports Trump’s hardline immigration approach.
A New York Times/Ipsos poll conducted in early January found that 55% of voters strongly or somewhat supported Trump’s immigration crackdown. Importantly, the poll also revealed that both Republicans and Democrats overwhelmingly agree that the immigration system is broken.
