Trump administration suspends humanitarian programmes

Trump administration suspends humanitarian programmes: path to the US closed for Ukrainians

The Donald Trump administration has temporarily halted the acceptance of applications for humanitarian temporary entry programmes to the US, including the popular “Uniting for Ukraine” initiative. 

Launched in September 2023, this programme enabled more than 150,000 Ukrainians to obtain temporary refuge in the United States with the support of financial sponsors.

What has changed?

The administration’s decision aims to review all active humanitarian programmes in light of new criteria set by the White House. The review will cover not only “Uniting for Ukraine” but also other initiatives, including:

• Family reunification programmes;
• Programmes assisting children from Central American countries.

According to administration representatives, the purpose of the review is to align the programmes with current national security and immigration policy priorities.

The significance of the programme for Ukrainians

The “Uniting for Ukraine” initiative has become a vital tool for assisting Ukrainians affected by the war. The programme provided for temporary entry into the US, conditional on the presence of a financial sponsor willing to cover the costs of housing and refugee integration.

Under this initiative, Ukrainians could obtain a two-year temporary refuge status with the right to work, which significantly simplified the integration process.