The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said it mistakenly sent an email Thursday to some Ukrainians in Charlotte and across the country, telling them that their permission to stay in the U.S. was terminated.
Some Ukrainians received an email with the subject line “Notice of Termination of Parole.” The email started with, “It is time for you to leave the United States.”
It went on to say that DHS was exercising its right to end the parole program under which recipients are legally in the U.S., in seven days. The email said those who received it should self-deport immediately and not stay in the United States because the government will find them and remove them.
WFAE reached out to DHS. In a statement, they said the email was sent by mistake and the parole program for Ukrainians has not been terminated.
Slavik is a Ukrainian living in Charlotte under a status called Uniting for Ukraine parole, which allows up to two years of stay in the United States. He didn’t receive the email, but it circulated to him and caused panic.
“I don’t know how I can explain to my children that we need to move from the USA," Slavik said. “In Ukraine, still the war and every day the bombs hit my country.”
DHS has not sent a follow-up email to Ukrainians, leaving many unsure whether they need to leave the country as soon as possible.
