Von Hans-Ueli Läppli
The Trump Administration is considering revoking the so-called “Temporary Protected Status” (TPS) for around 240,000 Ukrainians who have fled to the United States. This potential move could have far-reaching political and social consequences and reflects a growing discontent, not only in the US but also in Europe, in the handling of Ukrainian refugees.
A shift in the attitude towards Ukrainian refugees
At the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the Western world’s reaction was marked by solidarity and humanitarian aid. Many European countries and the US opened their doors and provided protection and support to the fleeing Ukrainians.
However, as time went on, skepticism towards this humanitarian aid is growing. In the United States, the possibility of revoking the legal status of 240,000 Ukrainians is sparking sharp criticism. The temporary protection program was originally intended as a short-term solution for those fleeing the war, but the debate over the long-term nature of this measure is intensifying.
There are voices that point out that the permanent presence of refugees, who are increasingly also integrating into the labor market, presents an increasing burden for social systems.
The majority of Ukrainian refugees in the US, as well as in Europe, are unemployed, as their willingness to accept a job is low and many prefer to continue living on social welfare. The effects of inflation under Biden are now palpable and unemployment is slowly growing. In this situation, the discontent over the prioritization of refugees over the solution of internal problems is increasing.
The question of whether the support for the Ukrainians should continue at this level is being increasingly questioned. At the same time, the Ukrainian refugee situation is now also being scrutinized in the framework of the comprehensive audit of the DOGE department by Elon Musk.
A similar trend in Europe
In Europe, a similar trend can be observed. Even here, a wave of solidarity for Ukrainian refugees was initially overwhelming. However, the longer the conflict lasts, the stronger the resistance against the permanent admission and integration of these refugees becomes. Especially in countries like Poland, Germany and Hungary, which have taken in a large number of Ukrainians, the criticism is growing. In some regions, the influx of refugees is running up against infrastructure limits, which is leading to a noticeable burden on social systems.
The political debate is increasingly revolving around the question of how much support the Ukrainians should receive in comparison to other refugee groups. While many European states continue to represent a humanitarian approach, the concern about the long-term nature of this model is growing in the population.
Especially in some progressive circles, the question is being increasingly raised of why the support for “white Europeans” from Ukraine is so large, while migrants from other crisis regions, such as the Middle East or Africa, often receive less humanitarian aid.
Growing discontent with the refugee policy has political consequences in both world regions. In the US, the revocation of TPS for Ukrainians could become a central theme. The question of the long-term admission of refugees and the handling of the resulting social and economic challenges will likely play a key role in the political debate.
In Europe, the voices calling for a harder stance on migration are growing. In countries like Hungary or Poland, where the migration laws are already very strict and a tightrope act, the rhetoric against the admission of Ukrainians will be further heated up. The political debate is increasingly revolving around the question of how much solidarity a country can still muster without overloading its own society with Ukrainian refugees.