Key facts
- U.S. senators introduced legislation on September 23 to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ukrainian refugees.
- The TPS designation for Ukrainians is set to expire on October 19.
- Over 101,000 Ukrainians hold TPS designations as of February 2026.
- TPS allows immigrants to avoid deportation and obtain work authorization in the U.S.
- The legislation aims to prevent the return of Ukrainians to an active war zone.
- A June 25 Supreme Court ruling allowed the administration to end TPS for other nationalities.
U.S. senators from both parties have introduced legislation to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ukrainian refugees, with the current designation set to expire on October 19. The move comes as concerns grow about forcing individuals fleeing an active war zone back to Ukraine.
Senator Richard Blumenthal stated that forcing Ukrainians seeking safety in the U.S. back to "unimaginable horror" would be inhumane. TPS is a legal immigration status granted to foreign citizens who cannot safely return to their home countries. It was first granted to Ukrainians in April 2022 following Russia's full-scale invasion.
According to the Migration Policy Institute, over 101,000 Ukrainians held TPS designations as of February 2026. This status prevents deportation by federal authorities like ICE and grants the right to work, though it does not offer a path to permanent citizenship. Immigrants from El Salvador, Lebanon, Sudan, Ukraine, and Venezuela are currently eligible for TPS.
Senator Lisa Murkowski emphasized that the legislation would provide stability and protection for Ukrainians legally residing and contributing to U.S. communities, allowing them to remain until it is safe to return home. This effort follows a summer push by the Trump administration to limit TPS designations, which, after a Supreme Court ruling on June 25, led to the removal of protections for immigrants from Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, and Haiti, a move Human Rights Watch described as endangering lives.