Despite Trump’s actions and rhetoric, Ukrainian tech workers are laying stakes in the US
As bombs exploded outside his home in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Alex had to make a colossal decision — whether or not to flee, and if so, where to go.
The technologist and startup founder, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of pending immigration status, landed in the US on May 24, 2023, after a 16-country tour with his wife and six-month-old son. A soccer injury to his ACL about 2 months prior to the war exonerated him from the draft that his home country applies to all men between the ages of 25 and 60. But the exemption didn’t protect him or his family from the invasion Russia launched in February 2022.
He’s here thanks to the Uniting for Ukraine program, which brought in about 158,000 individuals from the war-plagued country, per government data. But the Trump administration paused the program, leaving Alex and thousands of others in the lurch.
Through Uniting for Ukraine, established during the Biden administration, Ukrainians can work and access public benefits in the US for up to two years with the possibility of extension. His stay is almost up, and he’s applied for Temporary Protected Status, but hasn’t heard whether or not it’s been approved.