It's been a little over three years since Russia sparked its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, dramatically altering the lives of countless individuals uprooted by the conflict.
More than 240,000 Ukrainian refugees have sought safety in the United States due to the war. However, the future of temporary citizenship for many, including those in West Michigan, remains uncertain.
The Trump administration is reportedly making efforts to revoke legal status from over 1.8 million migrants under temporary humanitarian parole programs. This policy change could affect nearly a quarter of a million Ukrainian refugees who have arrived in recent years.
Tetiana Rens has been in the United States since 2019, yet she vividly recalls the moment when her home country of Ukraine was invaded. "I was shocked, because I'm, like, a bit of an eternal optimist, so I didn't think that was going to happen," she said. "Incredibly shocked, very scared. I immediately got in touch, like, with all my friends and family."
This moment was even scarier for Tetiana and her husband, Dustin, who just missed the outbreak of fighting. "We had come back to the United States on the first of January 2022, so we had just seen in her situation, she's from the north part of Ukraine, where the original thrust towards Kyiv was going," Dustin explained.
The events of 2022 drove many Ukrainians to seek opportunities in the U.S., with nearly 240,000 obtaining temporary legal status. "So her brother and mother are living with us under that status," Tetiana said.
Nonetheless, the recent plans from the Trump administration to possibly revoke legal status for hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have created distress within the Rens household. "So obviously, I am very scared for my mom and for my brother, and I mean, obviously for, like, just Ukrainians overall," Tetiana expressed. "I have friends, like Ukrainian friends, who came here on this protected status."
Tetiana's family sought a better life in the U.S. Her mother has spent the past year learning English and attending a local community college, actively applying for jobs. "My brother-in-law is sharp as a tack, as far as a 17-year-old is concerned, speaks perfect English. And, you know, he's really interested in computer science," Dustin added, highlighting the bright future her family envisions.
Yet, the fear remains that her family and friends may have to return to a war-torn country. "It’s really scary because the war is not over. Like, Russia is still constantly hitting Ukraine with drone strikes and missile strikes, and they do not seem to show any willingness to stop that anytime soon," Tetiana noted.
Currently, Tetiana's mother is in the process of obtaining her green card, so she should be safe since shes in the process of receiving it. However, her brother can only be sponsored by a blood relative, leaving his future uncertain as the legal landscape shifts.
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