In a shocking turn of events, several Ukrainian refugees residing legally in the United States received alarming emails from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) this week, instructing them to leave the country immediately. The email, titled a “Notice of Termination of Parole,” sparked panic across the Ukrainian community and their American sponsors — before DHS admitted it was an error.
“It is time for you to leave the United States,” the email read, warning that their parole status would expire in seven days. The message further threatened: “Do not attempt to remain in the United States — the federal government will find you.”
The email was sent to Ukrainians who had entered the U.S. under the “Uniting for Ukraine” program — a Biden-era initiative that granted temporary humanitarian parole to those fleeing the war with Russia. The message left many frightened and confused.
Just a day later, those who received the notice were told it had been sent by mistake.
“No action will be taken,” the follow-up message clarified. “The terms of your parole as originally issued remain unchanged at this time.”
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed to CNN that the message was an error and there are no current plans to end the parole program. Officials said the program itself remains intact despite being paused for new admissions in January, shortly after President Donald Trump returned to office.
Angela Boelens, president of IA NICE — an organization supporting Ukrainian families in the U.S. — said many of the affected individuals were “terrorized” by the email.
“We had women crying on the phone, one of them pregnant, another with a baby, asking what they did wrong,” Boelens told CNN.
While the follow-up email provided some relief, community leaders say the incident has caused lasting anxiety and confusion. Many are now demanding answers about how such a serious message could have been sent in error and why it was written in such aggressive language.
“It left us with more questions than answers,” Boelens added. “Who wrote this letter, and why was it so harsh?”
The “Uniting for Ukraine” program was launched in 2022 under President Biden, allowing U.S. citizens and organizations to sponsor displaced Ukrainians for humanitarian parole. While President Trump’s administration has sharply criticized and rolled back several Biden-era immigration programs, DHS claims this one has not been officially terminated.
Still, the mistaken message has highlighted the fragile state of immigration protections and the uncertainty faced by thousands of legal migrants under the current administration.
