Federal program shake-up leaves Ukrainian workers in North Dakota in limbo
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Ukrainians who fled the war in their home country for temporary roots in North Dakota are waiting with worry about their ability to keep working in the U.S., as the future of a key support program is up in the air.
Separate from refugees or asylum-seekers, humanitarian parole gives people escaping a global conflict a chance to work and live temporarily in an American community. As reported by North Dakota News Cooperative, several hundred Ukrainians in North Dakota fall under that status, taking on a range of local jobs the past two years.
Yaroslav Riazanov is one of them, and with the Trump administration trying to roll back immigration relief, he is living day-to-day.
"My work permit expires in a couple of days," Riazanov explained. "I need to work because I have a lot of bills to pay, you know, it's a big stress for me."
Legal wrangling continues over humanitarian parole, with the U.S. Supreme Court recently allowing programs with four other countries to be suspended. Supporters of the Ukrainian designation said there is still too much uncertainty about applications for those folks, renewing concerns they will be forced back to a war-torn region. The White House insists the programs do not have strong enough vetting.
Michael Southam, cofounder of FM Volunteers for Ukraine, a volunteer group in North Dakota sponsoring Ukrainians approved for work status, said although it is not meant as a pathway to citizenship, some participants want to stay in stable settings longer, seeing the opportunity to better their own lives and those around them.
"They've come here at the expense of their sponsor or themselves, not the government," Southam pointed out. "They work, they contribute locally; they have their children going to our schools, they contribute through volunteer activities."
He hopes elected leaders realize the local effects and see the benefit of maintaining the programs.
While a humanitarian parolee cannot apply for a green card, they could qualify for another visa, which potentially opens doors to longer-term residency.
