For more than 100,000 Ukrainians who sought refuge in the United States following Russia’s invasion, the future of their temporary protected status (TPS) remains uncertain as humanitarian protections were set to expire this week. Many are now facing anxiety over their ability to remain, work, and support their families amid evolving immigration policies and delayed government processing.

Yaryna Levchuk, a pharmacist who fled Ukraine with her family last year, embodies the challenges confronting many in this population. After arriving in the Chicago suburbs in late 2022 through the Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) program—a humanitarian parole initiative allowing Ukrainians to live and work temporarily in the U.S.—Levchuk quickly sought employment despite limited English skills and no vehicle. She secured a job as a pharmacy technician, with her husband also employed as a driver assisting with deliveries.

Levchuk’s U4U parole expired in September, resulting in the loss of her work authorization and her job. She has since applied for TPS, a status granted at the discretion of the Secretary of Homeland Security that allows individuals from countries deemed unsafe to live and work legally in the U.S., typically for periods of six to 18 months. Ukrainians were first granted TPS immediately after the 2022 invasion, with extensions approved by the Biden administration in August 2023.

However, processing delays have complicated Levchuk’s efforts to maintain legal work status. Her current TPS appeal has been pending since February 2025, and under current rules, re-registrations for TPS do not confer automatic work authorization until final approval. This differs from initial applicants who can receive provisional eligibility. Meanwhile, work authorization tied to humanitarian parole has been unreliable due to policy shifts, including a 2025 executive order from former President Donald Trump seeking to terminate categorical parole programs, which temporarily froze U4U renewals until a court-mandated resumption this spring.

Levchuk’s husband faces similar uncertainty, although he has been deemed eligible to work while his TPS application is pending. The family’s precarious situation mirrors that of thousands of Ukrainians across the country, many of whom have contacted resettlement agencies and legal advocates seeking guidance as the TPS expiration deadline approached.

Federal regulations specify that if the Secretary of Homeland Security does not act on a TPS designation at least 60 days before it expires, TPS status is to be automatically extended for six months. Legal experts note that by law, Ukrainians’ TPS should thus continue until at least April 2027. Yet repeated delays and vague government statements have fostered widespread uncertainty. USCIS declined to comment directly on the status of Ukrainian TPS, stating only that any future actions would be announced at the “appropriate time.”

The situation is further complicated by shifting political dynamics. Russia’s intensified military actions in Ukraine and changes in U.S.-Ukraine relations have raised questions about continued American support, which may affect immigration protections. A Senate aide familiar with the matter noted that while the current administration has treated Ukrainians differently from other TPS populations—such as those from El Salvador, whose TPS expired recently without clear direction—uncertainty remains pervasive.

Immigration experts caution that ambiguous policies can lead employers to hesitate in hiring or retaining Ukrainians whose work authorization status is unclear, despite community and political calls to extend protections. Last month, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators, including Illinois’ Tammy Duckworth, urged the administration to approve an 18-month TPS extension for Ukraine.

Local organizations supporting refugees report mounting frustration among their clients, many of whom have established lives and jobs in the U.S. but now face the threat of losing legal status. “They were welcomed here because their country was at war … and many of them do not have a place to go back to,” said Sally Schulze, communications director at RefugeeOne in Chicago.

For Levchuk, the uncertainty is deeply personal. Her son, a high school senior, hopes to graduate and attend college in the United States, but questions about their immigration status threaten those plans. “It’s heartbreaking,” she said. “Over there it’s not okay. Over here, also, we do not have certainties.” Despite her fears, she expressed gratitude for the time granted so far to live and work in safety.