King, Colleagues Urge Administration to Keep Safeguards in Place for Displaced Ukrainians

WASHINGTON D.C. - U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), and several of his Senate colleagues on both sides of the aisle are requesting that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and State Department extend humanitarian protections for Ukrainian citizens temporarily staying in the United States due to the unprovoked Russian invasion of their home country. In a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, the senators urge the administration to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation an additional 18 months beyond the current October 19, 2026, termination date, ensuring current TPS beneficiaries are not forced to return to an active combat zone.

The senators wrote, "The war in Ukraine-the largest conventional military action in Europe since World War II-is ongoing, as are the same extraordinary and temporary conditions that warrant the continued protection of Ukrainian nationals currently residing in the United States. International observers report a trend of steadily increasing civilian casualties from year to year, with approximately 17,000 civilian deaths and more than 50,000 civilian injuries since the outbreak of the war in 2022. These casualties, coupled with significant damage to civilian infrastructure, constrained access to health care and substantial population displacement have created a profound crisis, with approximately 10.8 million Ukrainians in need of humanitarian assistance. The facts on the ground paint a clear picture: sending Ukrainians back now would risk returning them to life threatening conditions."

"Protecting the approximately 101,000 Ukrainian TPS holders currently living in the United States is a humanitarian imperative, but also a sound economic decision," the Senators continued. "Ukrainian TPS holders have contributed approximately $2.6 billion to our economy each year and have provided approximately $716 million in taxes annually. In States like Illinois, thousands of Ukrainian TPS holders make our communities stronger not only through their rich cultural contributions, but also through their participation in critical sectors, including transportation, health care and construction. Terminating TPS for this population risks disrupting these industries, increasing costs for American consumers by forcing thousands of experienced workers out of their jobs."

The senators concluded, "To ensure that eligible Ukrainian nationals currently in the United States can continue living and working safely while conditions in their home country remain perilous, we urge you issue an extension and redesignation of TPS for Ukraine."

In addition to Senator King, the letter is signed by Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY), Susan Collins (R-ME), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Christopher Coons (D-DE), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jeffery Merkley (D-OR), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Edward Markey (D-MA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Andy Kim (D-NJ), and Tina Smith (D-MN).

As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI), Senator King is recognized as an authoritative voice on national security and foreign policy issues. He has consistently championed legal protections for individuals fleeing global conflict. Immediately following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February of 2022, he released a statement condemning Vladimir Putin and advocated for the initial designation of TPS ensuring arriving individuals from Ukraine had immediate legal authorization to remain and work in the U.S. Over the last 4 years, Senator King has been a vocal lawmaker supporting Ukraine's defense, including unwavering support for bipartisan aid legislation and loyalty to the democratic values of Ukraine.

The full text of the letter is available here and below.

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Dear Secretary Mullin and Secretary Rubio:

We strongly urge you to issue an 18-month extension and redesignation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ukraine prior to the impending October 19, 2026, termination date. Ukraine is currently in the fifth year of a large-scale war with Russia, which has led to ongoing civilian casualties, significant damage to critical infrastructure and the displacement of broad swaths of the population. An extension of TPS for Ukraine would protect current TPS beneficiaries from being forced to return to an active war zone, while a redesignation would expand those protections to the population of Ukrainian nationals who arrived after October 20, 2023.

Ukraine was initially designated for TPS on April 19, 2022, on the basis of ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary and temporary conditions caused by Russia's military actions within the country. In its designation, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the U.S. Department of State, cited regular artillery attacks and airstrikes by Russia's military forces, serious human rights abuses and the widespread destruction of critical infrastructure. Subsequent reviews of in-country conditions found that the situation in the country had not sufficiently improved; accordingly, TPS for Ukraine was extended and redesignated through April 19, 2025, and extended once more beginning on April 20, 2025.

The war in Ukraine-the largest conventional military action in Europe since World War II-is ongoing, as are the same extraordinary and temporary conditions that warrant the continued protection of Ukrainian nationals currently residing in the United States. International observers report a trend of steadily increasing civilian casualties from year to year, with approximately 17,000 civilian deaths and more than 50,000 civilian injuries since the outbreak of the war in 2022. These casualties, coupled with significant damage to civilian infrastructure, constrained access to health care and substantial population displacement have created a profound crisis, with approximately 10.8 million Ukrainians in need of humanitarian assistance. The facts on the ground paint a clear picture: sending Ukrainians back now would risk returning them to life threatening conditions.

Protecting the approximately 101,000 Ukrainian TPS holders currently living in the United States is a humanitarian imperative, but also a sound economic decision. Thanks to the work authorization granted by their TPS status, Ukrainian TPS holders have contributed approximately $2.6 billion to our economy each year and have provided approximately $716 million in taxes annually. In States like Illinois, thousands of Ukrainian TPS holders make our communities stronger not only through their rich cultural contributions, but also through their participation in critical sectors, including transportation, health care and construction. Terminating TPS for this population risks disrupting these industries, increasing costs for American consumers by forcing thousands of experienced workers out of their jobs.

Current conditions in Ukraine clearly merit the continuation of TPS status. The ongoing war has caused a humanitarian crisis and damage to critical civilian infrastructure has left many with limited or no access to heat, electricity or medical services. Ukrainian nationals cannot safely return at this time, and allowing TPS to terminate on October 19, 2026, would risk sending more than one hundred thousand individuals back to an active war zone. Ukrainian TPS holders contribute greatly to our communities, both culturally and economically. To ensure that eligible Ukrainian nationals currently in the United States can continue living and working safely while conditions in their home country remain perilous, we urge you issue an extension and redesignation of TPS for Ukraine.

Sincerely,

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