Viktoriia Bulavina and her husband, Viktor Korol, arrived at the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office in San Diego, California, on 4/12/2024 for her scheduled green card interview.

Immediately after Bulavina completed her interview, ICE agents arrested and took her into custody, US media reported, citing Korol. He is now appealing for community support to secure his wife's release.

Bulavina, a Ukrainian national, came to the US in 2022 under humanitarian parole after the war broke out. In 10/2023, she applied for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) under the Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) program, initiated by President Joe Biden's administration.

The U4U program has welcomed approximately 240,000 Ukrainians, enabling US citizens to sponsor Ukrainians for temporary stays in the US to escape the conflict in their homeland. Over 20,000 Ukrainians who flew to Mexico at the war's onset were also granted entry into the US under humanitarian parole status, which includes work permits and protection from deportation.

Bulavina submitted her TPS renewal application in 1/2024, three months before its expiration. According to her lawyer, TPS renewal processing should typically yield results within two weeks. However, her lawyer stated that the administration of President Donald Trump had previously suspended new applications and TPS renewals for Ukrainians already in the US.

Viktoriia Bulavina, a Ukrainian refugee. Photo: NBC San Diego

By 3/2024, USCIS had scheduled Bulavina's green card interview for 4/12/2024. Korol shared that his wife has been a constant presence during his cancer treatment.

"Both my lawyer and I tried to explain to the ICE agents that my wife's immigration status was entirely valid," Korol said. "She has TPS, had filed for renewal, and was awaiting the result. But they still claimed her protection status had expired, which led to her arrest."

USCIS and ICE have not yet responded to requests for comment or provided information regarding Bulavina's arrest.

Bulavina is currently detained at the Otay Mesa immigration detention center, south of San Diego. "She said they are treating her very harshly," Korol stated after visiting his wife at Otay Mesa on 7/12/2024. "There's nothing there: no phone, no change of clothes, and she's barely slept for three days."

Duc Trung (According to NBC News, AP)