The U.S. has suspended the U4U program for Ukrainian refugees.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced the suspension of the program for Ukrainian citizens who are traveling to the States due to the large-scale aggression of the Russian Federation. This concerns the Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) program.

This was reported by RBK-Ukraine citing the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services(USCIS) and "Voice of America".

The U.S. agency stated that it is "suspending the acceptance of Form I-134A, the online request for support, and the declaration of financial support." This is explained by the executive order from January 20 titled "Protecting Our Borders."

It is noted that the acceptance of applications is currently frozen until USCIS reviews all requests that have already been submitted.

Ukrainian Refugees in the U.S.

According to media reports, as of March 2023, more than 118,000 Ukrainian citizens have arrived in the U.S. under the U4U program. Additionally, about 25,000 Ukrainians entered the U.S. at the beginning of the large-scale Russian invasion in 2022, crossing the border from Mexico.

Reports from "Voice of America" indicate that the number of immigrants in the U.S. over the past few years is at a "historic high." It currently "exceeds the significant immigration boom at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries."

Uniting for Ukraine Program

The "Uniting for Ukraine" (U4U) program provides an opportunity for Ukrainian citizens and their close relatives who are outside the U.S. to come to the States and temporarily reside in the country for a duration of 2 years.

Ukrainians participating in the U4U program must have a sponsor in the U.S. who agrees to provide them with financial support during their stay in the States.

The first step in the "Uniting for Ukraine" process is for a sponsor in the U.S. to submit an application using Form I-134A "Online Request to Participate in the Program as a Sponsor and for Financial Support" to USCIS.

Subsequently, the U.S. government will verify the sponsor to ensure they can financially support the individual they agree to sponsor.

Background

Recently, the American publication The New York Times reported that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has suspended the U4U program. It was also noted that requests for asylum under this program will temporarily not be considered.

It is worth remembering that on January 20, President Donald Trump signed an order titled "Protecting Our Borders". Among other things, it contained a directive to revise asylum programs for individuals arriving in the States and to halt asylum programs that contradict Washington's policies.

According to The New York Times, among the list of programs planned for suspension was the initiative from former President Joe Biden called "Uniting for Ukraine," which allowed Ukrainian immigrants to temporarily enter the United States if they had financial sponsors. According to government data, by September 2023, more than 150,000 Ukrainians had entered the country under this program.

Additionally, since January 24, users in groups for Ukrainians in the U.S. have been posting messages that their relatives or acquaintances, whom they were supposed to welcome in the U.S. under the U4U program, were receiving denials for entry. Many Ukrainians traveling to the U.S. were caught off guard by the new requirements from the immigration agency.

Furthermore, the Council of Ukrainian Christian Churches in Washington State has appealed to Trump, requesting not to halt programs for refugees from Ukraine, particularly the U4U and TPS (Temporary Protected Status) programs.

It should also be noted that on January 12, it became known that the U.S. extended the temporary protected status (TPS) for Ukrainian citizens residing in the U.S. due to the large-scale military aggression from Russia for an additional 18 months.