Reps. James Walkinshaw (D-VA11, Eugene Vindman (D-VA07) Lead Colleagues Demanding Answers on Delays for Ukrainians Seeking Parole and Work Authorization

From Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-VA11)’s office:

Walkinshaw, Vindman Lead Colleagues Demanding Answers on Delays for Ukrainians Seeking Parole and Work Authorization

 Lawmakers warn USCIS delays are leaving Ukrainian families in “legal and economic limbo”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman James R. Walkinshaw (VA-11), alongside Congressman Eugene Vindman (VA-07), led a letter to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph B. Edlow demanding answers about delays affecting Ukrainian humanitarian parole and re-parole applications, as well as related employment authorization requests.

The letter, also signed by Reps. Ami Bera (CA-06), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Kim Schrier (WA-08), Josh Riley (NY-19), and Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) raises alarm over prolonged backlogs that are leaving thousands of Ukrainian nationals in uncertainty despite following all legal requirements.

“Thousands of Ukrainians who came to the United States lawfully under the Uniting for Ukraine program are being left in prolonged uncertainty because of unacceptable processing delays,” said Rep. Walkinshaw. “These families followed the rules. They filed on time. They did everything asked of them. They should not lose the ability to work or maintain lawful presence because of the Trump administration’s failure.”

“Ukrainian families who came to the United States through the Uniting for Ukraine program followed the rules and met every requirement, and they deserve timely responses from our government,” said Vindman. “Instead, many are now facing processing delays that put their ability to work and maintain lawful status at risk. These backlogs are not just administrative failures — they are disrupting the lives of thousands who have already endured immense hardship and are trying to build a safe, stable life here.”

In the letter, the lawmakers wrote, “We write to express serious concern regarding ongoing delays in the processing of Ukrainian humanitarian parole and re-parole applications, as well as related employment authorization requests, which continue to place thousands of Ukrainian nationals in prolonged uncertainty.”

They also warned that many applicants remain stuck in backlogs, resulting in “lapses in work authorization and the loss of lawful presence through no fault of their own.”

Although USCIS resumed processing these applications following a June 2025 federal court order lifting the administrative freeze on parole renewals, the lawmakers noted that many cases still appear effectively stalled.

The lawmakers are requesting answers from USCIS on several urgent issues, including the steps the agency is taking to reduce the backlog, the causes of current delays and lower approval rates, whether enhanced security reviews or manual processing are contributing to the problem, what is being done to prevent lapses in work authorization, and whether streamlined or blanket relief is under consideration while delays persist.

Read the full letter below or here.

 

The Honorable Joseph B. Edlow

Director

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

One Capital Gateway Drive

Camp Springs, MD 20588

 

Dear Director Edlow, 

We write to express serious concern regarding ongoing delays in the processing of Ukrainian humanitarian parole and re-parole applications, as well as related employment authorization requests, which continue to place thousands of Ukrainian nationals in prolonged uncertainty. 

Our offices regularly assist constituents who lawfully entered the United States under the Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) program and who have timely filed applications for re-parole and Employment Authorization Documents (EADs). Despite compliance with all filing requirements, many of these individuals remain in extended processing backlogs, resulting in lapses in work authorization and the loss of lawful presence through no fault of their own. 

It has come to our attention that a significant number of Ukrainian re-parole applications filed in early and mid-2025 remain pending well beyond posted processing timeframes. Although U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has resumed processing these applications following the June 2025 federal court order1 lifting the administrative freeze on parole renewals, many cases appear to be functionally stalled, with limited approvals issued to date. As a result, many of our constituents remain unable to work, support their families, or maintain financial stability while awaiting adjudication. 

Our offices have also experienced increasing difficulty obtaining timely and substantive responses through congressional inquiries. In many instances, cases remain pending despite clear eligibility and evidence of timely filing, limiting our ability to assist constituents effectively and undermining confidence in the parole renewal process. 

​To ensure USCIS addresses these concerns, we respectfully request thorough answers to the following questions: 

• What steps is USCIS taking to reduce the backlog of Ukrainian humanitarian re-parole applications and ensure timely adjudication?
• What are the primary drivers behind the current delays and the decline in approval rates?
• To what extent are enhanced security reviews or manual case processing contributing to current delays?
• What measures are in place to prevent lapses in employment authorization for individuals who have timely filed re-parole and EAD renewal applications?
• When does USCIS anticipate processing times for Ukrainian re-parole and related EAD applications will return to reasonable and predictable levels?
• Is USCIS considering streamlined or blanket relief mechanisms for Ukrainian parolees while backlogs persist? 

We share your commitment to ensuring that USCIS adjudications are both thorough and timely. However, Ukrainians who fled a war and sought safety here because of U.S. humanitarian commitments should not be left in legal and economic limbo due to prolonged administrative delays. We look forward to your response outlining the steps USCIS is taking to address these urgent issues.

​Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your continued service.

Sincerely,