Ukrainian refugees in Tampa worried about Biden-era resettlement program

Ukrainian refugees in Tampa fearing the worst

FOX 13's Evan Axelbank reports on Ukrainian refugees in Tampa worried that their refugee status is in jeopardy of being removed by the Trump Administration.

TAMPA, Fla. - The Trump Administration is considering whether to revoke the legal status of thousands of Ukrainian refugees who came to the U.S. when Russia invaded Ukraine.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is pushing back, though, on a report that said it has already decided to revoke the Biden-era program.

Local perspective:

Yulia, who did not want to provide her last name, works in a water testing facility on North Florida Avenue in Tampa. It's a long way from eastern Ukraine, where she was living in February 2022, when Vladimir Putin began an invasion that has cost the lives of at least 12,000 civilians and 150,000 soldiers.

She is one of around 250,000 Ukrainian refugees admitted as part of a Biden-era refugee resettlement program.

"Thank you to American people for this opportunity," Yulia said. "I feel safe. My kids are safe."

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Yulia lives with her husband and two kids in South Tampa, and grew alarmed at a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, from Leavitt, responding to a news article that said their program had ended.

What they're saying:

"This is more fake news... Based on anonymous sources who have no idea what they are talking about. The truth: No decision has been made at this time," Leavitt said in the post.

"It's horrible because the war is not stopped now, and I can't imagine going back to Ukraine," said Yulia.

The backstory:

The U.S.'s relationship with Ukraine took a U-turn when President Donald Trump returned to the White House. Last week, he and Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy argued publicly over the U.S.'s role in the war.

MORE: Watch the whole Trump-Zelenskyy meeting

Even before that, the Trump Administration was examining programs that have allowed 1.8 million to resettle in the country from places like Ukraine, Cuba and Haiti.

"Why are we doing this?" asked Roaya Tyson, who helped Yulia's family resettle in the U.S. "This family has been here for three years, and they are working, paying taxes, paying their rent, raising their kids. They're here legally."

Dig deeper:

Yulia's kids are enrolled in public elementary and middle schools in South Tampa, and both she and her husband work five days a week to make ends meet while they're in the U.S.

"We need help," said Yulia. "Ukrainian people need help. We cannot do all ourself. We have a big problem."

The Source: The information in this story was gathered through interviews with a Ukrainian refugee in Tampa and someone who helped the refugee's family resettle in the U.S. It also includes a statement made by the White House press secretary as well as previous reports on the Russia-Ukraine war.

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