The Biden administration has suspended deportation flights to Ukraine, Russia and seven other European countries in the region due to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, two people familiar with the pause told CBS News on Thursday.
In a statement, the US Immigration and Customs Administration (ICE) confirmed the suspension of deportation flights to Ukraine.
“Against the backdrop of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, the US Immigration and Customs Service (ICE) has stopped repatriation flights to Ukraine,” a CBS News spokesman said. “ICE will continue to monitor the current situation and make operational changes if necessary.
Congressional officials have been informed that ICE has also suspended deportation flights to Russia and seven other countries, including Belarus, Georgia, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, an informed source told CBS News.
ICE did not respond to requests to confirm the other deportation breaks. It is unclear how long ICE will suspend deportations to the nine countries.
Later Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security announced a Temporary Protection Status (TPS) program for Ukrainians in the United States that allows them to apply for deportation protection and work permits. Interior Minister Alejandro Mayorkas said the move was justified by the appalling conditions created by “Russia’s deliberate and unprovoked attack”.
It is assumed that the TPS is intended for citizens of countries affected by war, natural disasters or other emergencies, and does not allow beneficiaries to obtain permanent residence in the United States. Ukrainians who arrived in the United States after March 1 will not qualify for the program.
Approximately 30,000 Ukrainian-born immigrants to the United States could qualify for the TPS, including students and others with temporary visas, according to the non-partisan Institute for Migration Policy.
Compared to other countries, US deportations to Ukraine are relatively low. In fiscal 2020, the last with available statistics, ICE deported 106 Ukrainians, a slight decrease from fiscal 2019, when 125 immigrants from Ukraine were deported.
In fiscal 2020, ICE deported 11 immigrants to Belarus, 44 to Georgia, 44 to Hungary, 17 to Moldova, 263 to Romania, 108 to Russia and 12 to Slovakia, according to the agency.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sparked a growing humanitarian crisis in the region, with more than 1 million refugees fleeing violence and crossing Ukraine’s borders with neighbors.
More than half a million people have fled to Poland, 133,000 to Hungary and nearly 100,000 to Moldova, according to the UN refugee agency. Slovakia and Romania have taken in 80,000 and 51,000 refugees, respectively.
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