Thousands of Ukrainians holding Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in Massachusetts face ongoing uncertainty as the expiration of their legal protections looms. TPS is a federal program that offers deportation relief and work authorization to immigrants from countries experiencing armed conflict or other severe crises. Ukraine was designated for TPS in spring 2022, shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion, allowing approximately 1,300 Ukrainians in Massachusetts and 100,000 nationwide to obtain the status.
As the October 19 expiration date approached, many Ukrainian TPS holders worried about their futures. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has stated that Ukrainian TPS beneficiaries will retain their protections — including the ability to work — “for now,” while indicating a final decision will be announced “at the appropriate time.” This tentative extension follows similar situations with TPS designations for other countries, such as El Salvador, where protections were temporarily maintained after looming deadlines.
Despite the federal government’s statement, the precarious nature of TPS has created anxiety and instability among Ukrainians in the state. One Massachusetts resident, a 46-year-old woman who fled Ukraine with her two teenage daughters in 2022, described her situation as “very bleak.” She works as a home health aide, a marked change from her previous career as a speech pathologist, but she remains unsure whether she will be able to keep her job amid the uncertainty. Concerned for her family’s safety and future, she expressed fear about routine activities like sending her children to school and traveling for work.
The woman’s husband remains in Ukraine, serving as a soldier in the country’s armed forces. She emphasized that returning to Kyiv, where Russian attacks have intensified in recent months, is not an option for her family. “There is no other country that I can go to,” she said. “We came here because we knew that we would be safe here, and this is a respite for us from war.”
Local advocates report widespread anxiety within the Ukrainian community. Olga Yulikova, a Massachusetts-based nonprofit leader assisting Ukrainian refugees, noted an increase in calls from individuals uncertain about their legal status and prospects in the U.S. She described the community’s mental health as deeply affected by the unstable outlook.
Similar challenges confront TPS holders from other countries who have faced or are facing potential status revocations under previous and current administration policies. In 2022, the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to terminate TPS for Haitian nationals, impacting more than 330,000 people. Salvadorans with TPS, numbering over 7,000 in Massachusetts, also remain in limbo amid ongoing legal debates.
For many, maintaining TPS is not only a means of legal protection but also a way to remain self-sufficient and contribute to society. The Ukrainian mother in Massachusetts expressed a desire to continue working and supporting her family, highlighting that TPS recipients are law-abiding residents paying taxes and seeking stability amid protracted conflict in their homeland.