US Sends Erroneous Email to Ukrainian Refugees, Demanding Departure
The US Department of Homeland Security sent an email to several Ukrainian refugees, informing them that their humanitarian status would be revoked and that they must leave the country within seven days. The email, sent on Thursday, stated that the Department of Homeland Security would take legal action, including deportation, against those who failed to comply. The refugees would also lose their work permits. The email instructed them to register for self-deportation through a specific smartphone app.
The email, however, was later revealed to be an error. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, Tricia McLaughlin, confirmed that the email was mistakenly sent to some Ukrainians. The humanitarian program for Ukrainian refugees remains in effect. A new email was sent on Friday, clarifying the mistake.
Since the outbreak of the Ukraine war in late 2022, the US government, under President Joe Biden, has taken in around 240,000 Ukrainian refugees. Additionally, around 20,000 Ukrainians who had initially fled to Mexico were allowed to enter the US. Prior to his presidency, President Donald Trump had tightened US migration policies and terminated several humanitarian programs for Cubans, Haitians, Venezuelans and Nicaraguans. New refugee entries under the humanitarian program for Ukrainians were also suspended.