DHS email error causes stress, anxiety for New Hampshire's Ukrainian community

Several Ukrainians in Concord and across the U.S. mistakenly received emails from the Department of Homeland Security on Thursday telling them that the parole status that allowed them to stay in the U.S. was over and they should self-deport within a week.

The email began with “it is time for you to leave the United States” and ended with “DHS is terminating your parole. Do not attempt to remain in the United States - the federal government will find you. Please depart the United States immediately.”

A DHS spokesperson said the message was sent in error to some Ukrainians with legal status under the Biden-era program called "Uniting for Ukraine" that streamlined the process for Ukranians fleeing the war in their home country. The spokesperson clarified that the program has not been terminated.

Even if the email turned out to be an error, leading refugee resettlement organizations voiced their concerns with this mistake and the broader treatment of immigrants under this administration.

Ascentria Care Alliance CEO Angela Bovill put out a joint statement with Jeff Thielmann from the International Institute of New England. They said that the two organizations have settled and supported hundreds of Ukrainian refugees across New Hampshire and Massachusetts and are proud to call them neighbors.

“To see them treated with such callous and inhumane action is frankly shocking and disheartening,” they said in an email statement. ”People deserve thoughtful, caring treatment that reflects the values of our country and our Constitution. This clearly is the opposite of that. They came to this country fleeing persecution and war – places where fear is a constant. This lack of safety and fear shouldn’t be what they have to face here, too.”

The immigration status for Ukranians with parole under this program is still uncertain. On his first day in office, President Trump signed an executive order that ended all categorical parole programs – programs that provided temporary status to people from certain countries for humanitarian reasons. Homeland Security ended categorical parole for immigrants from Haiti, Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua in March.

Although people from these countries are still eligible to apply for other statuses, like individual parole, it is unclear whether the program for Ukrainians could be next.

Jessica Pelletier from the Immigration Legal Assistance Program at Ascentria said that hearing about the email was a disconcerting experience for several Ukrainian clients and staff members affiliated with her organization.

“They, even without receiving a message like that, are in a state of stress and anxiety over what's going to happen to them and what's going to happen to their families,” she said.

As a lawyer, she added that programs like Temporary Protected Status and categorical parole were created in order to respond to humanitarian concerns. She added that these programs usually end when the country has reached a level of stability.

However, as many of these countries are still experiencing severe instability, she said sending people back could endanger their lives.

“A program like this is not just a policy statement. It's people's lives, people's very real experiences, and the level of trauma and terror that they're feeling,” she said. “They're coming to the United States under these programs legally to find a place of safety.”