Ukrainian Family Thrives in Florida Amid Immigration Uncertainty

Palm Coast, Florida, USA - In the warm and welcoming sunshine of Palm Coast, Florida, the Yakovenko family—recently uprooted from war-torn Ukraine—has been carving out a new life. But while their small businesses have found success, their future is overshadowed by uncertainty surrounding their immigration status. A recent report from WSVN highlights this delicate situation, underscoring the anxiety many Ukrainian refugees face across the United States.

The Yakovenkos fled Kyiv in 2022 and initially stayed with the Rambis family in Kissimmee. Grateful for the support, they later moved to Palm Coast, where Inna started a successful permanent makeup and lash business while Oleg launched his own mobile repair service. Despite their achievements, the Yakovenkos navigated a bureaucratic maze of confusion regarding temporary protected status (TPS) and humanitarian parole, both of which are crucial for their legal stay in the country.

Growing Concerns

The situation is tense, and the Yakovenkos are not alone in feeling unsettled. Anne Smith, the executive director of the Ukraine Immigration Task Force, notes that many Ukrainians are trapped in a precarious legal status. Over 280,000 Ukrainians entered the U.S. through the Uniting for Ukraine program, which afforded them some level of protection and the ability to work. However, as expressed in a report from NPR, anxiety looms as legal protections begin to expire.

The Biden administration initially established the Uniting for Ukraine program in 2022, but the landscape has been shifting once more. Uncertainty persists as the Trump administration’s recent orders threaten to revoke these protections starting in April 2025. Approximately 240,000 Ukrainians currently risk losing their legal status, as the Trump administration takes steps to terminate humanitarian parole programs and TPs (including for Cubans and Haitians), marking a significant change in U.S. immigration policy, as outlined by VisaVerge.

The Yakovenkos expressed their distress after receiving a mistaken letter from the Department of Homeland Security, misleading them into believing they were to be expelled from the U.S. The confusion around immigration status has led to tangible fears, even friendships among refugees have been impacted, as some have already lost their work authorizations.

A Community in Transition

For Ukrainian refugees in places like Florida and across the nation, uncertainty is a common theme. Oleksii Chyrka, a cabinet maker and FedEx driver living in Minneapolis, echoes these fears as he worries about losing his work permit. As he poignantly shared, going back to Kharkiv, where safety is a major concern, is simply not a viable option for him or many others like him.

Community gatherings are still happening, as seen with Lenten events in Minneapolis raising funds for humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Yet, beneath these communal efforts, many Ukrainians are grappling with stalled lives—waiting for clarity on their immigration futures while trying to build a new existence in a foreign land.

As the Yakovenkos, Chyrka, and countless others look toward an uncertain horizon, they know they’ve found solidarity amongst each other, supported by the kindness of sponsors like the Rambis family. Together, they are confronting the challenge head-on, fully representing the spirit of resilience that defines their community.

Only time will tell how these policies will unfold and what that means for families trying to rebuild their lives amid chaos. Until then, staying informed and connected may prove to be their very best tools for navigating this complicated landscape.