[US media: Trump administration plans to deport tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees]

On May 20th, according to reports by The Washington Post citing internal government documents, the US government plans to use $250 million in foreign aid funds to promote the "voluntary repatriation" of immigrants from conflict zones, including about 200,000 Ukrainian refugees and 500,000 Haitian refugees.

The report states that the funds come from the foreign aid budget, aimed at encouraging illegal immigrants to return to their home countries by providing a "voluntary repatriation subsidy" of $1,000 per person. In addition to Ukraine and Haiti, immigrants from conflict zones such as Afghanistan, Palestine, and Libya are also included in the plan. However, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) clearly opposes sending refugees back to dangerous areas. This plan was not coordinated with relevant United Nations organizations but directly promoted by the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department, raising concerns over attempts to evade international oversight.

The Trump administration is pushing to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and cut 80% of its projects (including aid to Ukraine), which is seen as a continuation of efforts to compress "soft diplomacy" spending.

During the Biden era, temporary protected status (TPS) was granted to Ukrainian and Haitian immigrants, allowing them to legally reside; the current administration is pressuring them to return through economic incentives, criticized as "using aid funds for deportation."

The Department of Homeland Security mistakenly sent an email on April 20th notifying Ukrainian immigrants that "humanitarian exemptions would end," though it was corrected the next day, it had already caused community panic. Yedem Upa, a 29-year-old immigrant from Crimea, told reporters: "This uncertainty makes it impossible to live normally."

Former government officials and non-governmental organizations pointed out that forcing refugees to return to war-torn Ukraine (such as frontline regions like Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia) violates international law and is considered an "inhumane act." It is stipulated that foreign aid should be used for development in recipient countries, but the US is using it for domestic politics, criticized as "procedural violations." The House Committee on Foreign Affairs has initiated a review.

Analysts believe that this move aims to fulfill Trump's campaign promise to "tighten borders" and create the false impression of a "relief in the Ukrainian situation" to endorse his foreign policy.

Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Teresa McLaughlin confirmed the authenticity of the document but emphasized that "no final decision has been made," stating that they are "working with the State Department to encourage illegal immigrants to voluntarily leave through foreign aid funds." As of now, the Ukrainian Embassy in the US has approached the US side regarding this matter, and the UN Refugee Agency has called on the US to "fulfill its obligations as a shelter country."

By 2025, about 780,000 Ukrainians had fled to the US due to the war, most of whom stayed under "temporary protected status" (TPS). If implemented, this plan will be the largest forced repatriation action against refugees since the 2022 Russia-Ukraine conflict began.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1832643041658880/

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