The Ukrainian families who settled in Orange County after fleeing the ongoing war with Russia fear that they will be deported to the dangers they have left behind, as immigration policies depend on balance.
The Gladushko family began to discover stability in the US after arriving in April 2022, two months after the war began.
After the Southern California family took them, Oleksandr Gladushko found work as a paralegal, enrolled his son at school and welcomed a new baby with his wife.
“We only came here two bags,” Gladushko said. “What’s next, I don’t know.”
The family came to the United States under the unity of Ukraine (U4U), a Biden-era program in which Ukrainians entered the United States on humanitarian parole, allowed temporary stays and allowed work until 2026.
Gladushkos said they have applied for a Temporary Protection Status (TPS) to protect immigrants from countries facing armed conflict, natural disasters or other crises.
The patriarch’s wife and son were approved by TPS, but his application is still pending.
Family members are confused by the application and approval process, but delays are common, according to immigration attorney Alex Garvez.
“Now, everything is backlogged with immigration and everything that has to do with USCIS,” Garves said. “However, as long as you apply for re-registration by January 17, 2025 and March 18, 2025, you will be registered with a TPS that expired on October 19, 2026.”
However, under the Trump administration, the future of the temporary protection status program and U4U is uncertain as the government has already stopped accepting new applications.
If the programme is finished, the legal status of Gladushkos will expire as returning to Ukraine is not an option for them.
“We’ve lost our home. It’s somewhere in Russia’s controlled territory,” he said. “There are no plans B or C. I don’t have it. ”
The Ukrainian Immigration Task Force said that more than 280,000 Ukrainians have settled in the United States under the U4U program since 2020.
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