Ukrainian refugees in the U.S. faced distress this week after receiving erroneous emails from U.S. immigration authorities demanding their immediate departure, despite having legal status under a humanitarian program. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) clarified the messages were sent in error, attributing the issue to a system glitch.
Thursday\u2019s email warned recipients their parole status \u2014 granted following Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine \u2014 had been revoked and threatened enforcement action. One Ukrainian recipient, who requested anonymity, described panic upon reading the notice: \u201cI couldn\u2019t breathe normally and was uncontrollably crying.\u201d
DHS issued a follow-up correction on Friday, assuring affected individuals their status remained valid. While the agency has not disclosed how many received the email, this incident follows recent reports of potential policy shifts affecting thousands of Ukrainian refugees.
The humanitarian parole program, expanded under the Biden administration, has provided critical refuge for Ukrainians fleeing conflict. Advocacy groups are calling for greater transparency to prevent further confusion.
