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Nearly 200,000 Ukrainians in U.S. Face Loss of Status as Renewals Stall

A court-ordered restart has barely moved the backlog, with only about 1,900 renewals processed since May.

Kateryna Golizdra poses for a portrait outside her home in Margate, Florida, U.S., November 17, 2025.  REUTERS/Maria Alejandra Cardona
Kateryna Golizdra holds her only remaining Ukrainian blouse for a photograph outside her home in Margate, Florida, U.S., November 17, 2025.  REUTERS/Maria Alejandra Cardona
Kateryna Golizdra holds her Ukrainian passport for a photograph outside her home in Margate, Florida, U.S., November 17, 2025.  REUTERS/Maria Alejandra Cardona
Kateryna Golizdra and her brother in an orphanage converted into a temporary shelter,after they fled their home following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, March 15, 2022. Courtesy of Kateryna Golizdra/Handout via REUTERS    THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY

Overview

  • Internal U.S. government data reviewed during litigation show nearly 200,000 Ukrainians were at risk of losing legal status as of March 31.
  • The humanitarian parole program admitted nearly 260,000 Ukrainians for two years after launching in April 2022.
  • The Trump administration paused processing in January and the president later weighed ending the program before a federal judge ordered renewals to resume in May.
  • Congress added a $1,000 charge to humanitarian applications in July, increasing costs on top of the existing $1,325 fee per person.
  • Ukrainians report lost work permits, jobs and health insurance, with advocates citing arrests in several cities and some people opting to leave using a CBP One exit pathway that offers a free ticket and $1,000.