Deporting Ukrainian Refugees Weakens America

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Argument An expert’s point of view on a current event. Deporting Ukrainian Refugees Weakens America Canceling legal status would be a moral and strategic mistake that weakens America’s global standing. By Tetiana Kotelnykova , a graduate student at Yale University specializing in European and Russian studies, founder of the nonprofit Brave Generation and the Ukrainian Recovery Youth Global Initiative, in partnership with Yale’s International Leadership Center. Ukrainians seeking asylum in the United States in Tijuana, Mexico, on April 6, 2022. Ukrainians seeking asylum in the United States in Tijuana, Mexico, on April 6, 2022. Mario Tama/Getty Images My FP: Follow topics and authors to get straight to what you like. Exclusively for FP subscribers. Subscribe Now | Log In Foreign & Public Diplomacy Human Rights United States Russia Ukraine March 21, 2025, 2:32 PM Comment icon View Comments ( 0 ) “Trump Planning On Canceling Legal Status For 240,000 Ukrainians Who Fled War With Russia, Report Says.” I read that Forbes headline while drinking coffee on the morning of March 6, just after finishing a call about Brave Generation, a nonprofit I founded that is, among other purposes, designed to strengthen ties between young people in the United States and Ukraine. The news felt like cruel irony. One moment, I was working to build connections between the countries; the next, I was confronted with the harsh reality that one side was now considering deporting the other. Russia’s War in Ukraine Understanding the conflict three years on. More on this topic Worse still, I could be among those forced to leave the United States within a month. I had arrived in the United States under humanitarian parole because I couldn’t apply for a student visa since the U.S. embassy in Kyiv closed after Russia’s full-scale invasion started in 2022. Later, I applied for temporary protected status (TPS) to secure my ability to stay. The U.S. government gave me, and many others like me, the chance to start over. Trending Articles Israel Threatens to Annex Parts of Gaza if Hamas Doesn’t Release Hostages But growing public dissent could hinder Israel’s wartime and political efforts. Powered By Advertisement Israel Threatens to Annex Parts of Gaza if Hamas Doesn’t Release Hostages X “Trump Planning On Canceling Legal Status For 240,000 Ukrainians Who Fled War With Russia, Report Says.” I read that Forbes headline while drinking coffee on the morning of March 6, just after finishing a call about Brave Generation, a nonprofit I founded that is, among other purposes, designed to strengthen ties between young people in the United States and Ukraine. The news felt like cruel irony. One moment, I was working to build connections between the countries; the next, I was confronted with the harsh reality that one side was now considering deporting the other. Russia’s War in Ukraine Understanding the conflict three years on. More on this topic Worse still, I could be among those forced to leave the United States within a month. I had arrived in the United States under humanitarian parole because I couldn’t apply for a student visa since the U.S. embassy in Kyiv closed after Russia’s full-scale invasion started in 2022. Later, I applied for temporary protected status (TPS) to secure my ability to stay. The U.S. government gave me, and many others like me, the chance to start over. The possibility of being deported in April is horrifying for me—but not new. This wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had to leave everything behind. In 2014, Russian-backed separatists took over my hometown, Horlivka, and I fled. In 2022, when the war began, I left Kyiv with only what I could carry: one bag of luggage and a cat. For people like me, the United States has always been a symbol of hope. But now, it is at a crossroads. The government is openly debating whether to send Ukrainian refugees back to a war zone. The truth is simple: Deporting Ukrainian refugees will not help the United States. Those who fled to the United States are not just refugees. We are taxpayers, students, entrepreneurs, and cultural contributors. Many of us could have stayed in Europe, closer to home, but we chose the United States, bringing with us the skills, resilience, and determination to succeed. Deporting Ukrainians would not only uproot lives but also harm the U.S. economy by removing people who are already working, studying, and paying taxes. The United States has admitted approximately 270,000 Ukrainian refugees since 2022, offering TPS and humanitarian parole. Humanitarian parole allows individuals to enter the United States for urgent humanitarian reasons, while TPS grants temporary legal status to those already in the United States who cannot safely return to their home country. Unlike humanitarian parole’s short-term relief, TPS offers more stability by allowing beneficiaries to work legally and remain in the United States without fear of deportation. The economic impact of refugees in the United States is well documented. A study by the Department of Health and Human Services found that between 2005 and 2019, refugees in the United States contributed $123.8 billion more in taxes than they received in benefits. In 2019, nearly 2.4 million refugees generated $93.6 billion in household income, paying $25 billion in taxes and maintaining $68.6 billion in disposable income—money that fuels local economies. Refugees are not a burden; they are an asset. Any policy that forces them out ignores both economic reality and the United States’ broader strategic interests. The United States is not alone in resettling those displaced by Russia’s war. Countries all over have extended protections to Ukrainian refugees, with Europe bearing the greatest responsibility. Of the more than 6.9 million Ukrainians displaced globally, 6.3 million are located in Europe; Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Italy taking in the largest numbers of refugees. As legal protections near expiration, governments are reevaluating their commitments. In June 2024, the Council of the European Union moved to extend temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees until March 4, 2026. Similarly, the United Kingdom announced last year that Ukrainian visa holders would be eligible to apply for an 18-month renewal , providing continued stability for those who have sought refuge. In January, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced an 18-month extension of TPS for Ukraine through Oct. 19, 2026. But Trump’s recent move to revoke Ukrainians’ legal status puts the extension into question. While other nations have reaffirmed their commitment to protecting Ukrainian refugees, Washington now faces a critical decision: Will it continue to uphold these protections or begin dismantling them? Read More A man in army clothing walks past a poster of a man in a military uniform. Europe’s Best Bet for Protecting Postwar Ukraine With U.S. commitment in question, armed neutrality is the most feasible option. Argument | Rajan Menon A Ukrainian serviceman trains in the woods near the frontline in Ukraine. Three Years On, What’s Next for Europe and Ukraine? Nine thinkers on the bombshells coming out of Washington. Analysis | Daniel Fried , Ulrich Speck , Agathe Demarais , Nathalie Tocci , Garvan Walshe , C. Raja Mohan , Jo Inge Bekkevold , Mick Ryan , Keir Giles , Stefan Theil In the foreground is the blurry figure of Vladimir Putin. In the background is a mirror that shows him clearly. How to Negotiate With Putin Britain’s former ambassador to Russia on how Trump can avoid falling into the Kremlin’s trap. Argument | Laurie Bristow Revoking TPS and humanitarian parole in the United States would be more than just an administrative shift—it would signal an abandonment of the people it once pledged to protect. The consequences would mean immediate upheaval in Ukrainian communities and constitute another win for Russia. Russia has already exploited disinformation to fracture the global coalition supporting Ukraine. A detailed analysis of Russian propaganda found that French, German, Polish, and Turkish audiences were heavily targeted with narratives designed to stoke resentment over the costs of aiding Ukraine and accommodating refugees. In the United States, Russian propaganda aims to deepen divisions to undermine the U.S. government and stoke opposition to assisting refugees. These disinformation efforts are amplified on mainstream social media platforms, often spreading unchecked due to the lack of fact-checking and state-affiliation labels. The U.S. Justice Department has already taken action to disrupt covert Russian influence operations targeting American audiences. Sign up for Editors’ Picks A curated selection of FP’s must-read stories. Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to receive email correspondence from us. You may opt out at any time. Enter your email Sign Up ✓ Signed Up You’re on the list! More ways to stay updated on global news: FP Live Enter your email Sign Up ✓ Signed Up World Brief Enter your email Sign Up ✓ Signed Up China Brief Enter your email Sign Up ✓ Signed Up South Asia Brief Enter your email Sign Up ✓ Signed Up Situation Report Enter your email Sign Up ✓ Signed Up View All Newsletters Beyond that, deporting Ukrainians would weaken the United States in a strategic and geopolitical sense. Ukrainian refugees in the United States are a link between it and Eastern Europe, providing language skills, expertise, intelligence, and insights into another great power—Russia. Last year, Brave Generation organized internships and policy engagements that connected young Ukrainian leaders with U.S. officials, Congress, and key institutions, including the Nobel Prize-winning Center for Civil Liberties and the Woodrow Wilson Center. These participants contributed far beyond translation, providing analysis on everything from Russia’s war strategy to its economic influence. Their insights have been crucial in understanding Russian operations, Ukraine’s military and economic needs, and broader regional dynamics—perspectives that directly shape U.S. policy. Forcing Ukrainian refugees out of the United States would show the world that America is willing to abandon its commitments—a narrative that Moscow is keen to spread. It would tell U.S. allies that its promises are conditional and its adversaries that its word is not to be trusted. This perception is already growing, exemplified by the recent Oval Office meeting between Zelensky and Trump, and it has cast doubt on Washington’s long-term support for Ukraine. Cutting aid and rescinding protections for refugees would only reinforce the idea that U.S. backing is temporary and further undermine confidence in U.S. leadership. As Europe moves toward greater strategic independence, U.S. influence will inevitably decline. A retreat on Ukraine, whether through aid reductions or deportations, would accelerate this shift—weakening trans-Atlantic ties and creating a vacuum that Russia and China are eager to fill. Deporting vulnerable people back to a war zone is not just cruel; it is counterproductive. By forcing them to leave, it wastes the contributions they could make to society and nullifies the support they’ve already received. The same applies to Venezuelans, who, like Haitians, have fled regimes hostile to the United States but now face uncertainty as their TPS designations are rescinded or shortened. Deporting Ukrainian refugees does not serve U.S. interests. It does not strengthen the economy. It does not bolster national security. It does not make America greater. It weakens it. Tetiana Kotelnykova is a graduate student at Yale University specializing in European and Russian studies, founder of the nonprofit Brave Generation and the Ukrainian Recovery Youth Global Initiative, in partnership with Yale’s International Leadership Center. Read More On Foreign & Public Diplomacy | Human Rights | Migration and Immigration | Russia | Ukraine | United States Join the Conversation Commenting on this and other recent articles is just one benefit of a Foreign Policy subscription. Already a subscriber? Log In . 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