ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Hundreds of Ukrainians living in Rochester are facing anxiety and uncertainty as Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is set to expire on October 19, 2026, ending a program that allowed them to live and work legally in the United States.

Valentina Voitovych and Yuliia Kozak, who both fled the war in Ukraine with their families, shared their experiences with News10NBC’s Adelisa Badzic. Voitovych said TPS gave her family stability and safety, allowing her to work, pay rent and bills, and enroll her children in school. “The temporary protected status gives me some kind of stability and safety, and it allows me to be here legally on the territory of the United States,” Voitovych said.

Voitovych’s older son, who came to Rochester at age seven, is now deeply involved in American life and school activities. She said her son often asks questions about their future and whether their TPS status will be extended. “He keeps asking about the extension and all these things,” Voitovych said. She explained that many Ukrainians in Rochester are in a similar situation, having fled the war and now relying on TPS for their safety and ability to work.

Kozak, who works for Monroe County Department of Social Services, said she has only seven more days of legal work authorization and is unsure what will happen next. “It stresses me out so much every single day,” Kozak said. She described building a life in Rochester over nearly five years, paying taxes, and raising her son, who has spent most of his life in the United States. “We just want to work, live our friendly, simple life here and we would be paying taxes,” Kozak said.

Both women said they have family members still in Ukraine, where the war continues and conditions remain unsafe. Kozak said her neighborhood in western Ukraine was recently bombed, and she worries about the safety of her relatives, including her elderly grandmother.

GG Beshir, director of refugee, immigration and employment services at Catholic Charities Family and Community Services (CCFCS), said the end of TPS would disrupt the lives of families who have established roots in Rochester. “The uncertainty surrounding TPS is more than an immigration issue. It is a human issue,” Beshir said. He explained that TPS was granted because Ukraine is not safe, and that conditions have not improved. “So we expect the status, the temporary protected status, to be extended because of the reality back in Ukraine,” Beshir said.

CCFCS has helped resettle 2,500 Ukrainians in Rochester since the war began in 2022, with hundreds currently relying on TPS. Beshir said the end of TPS would impact not only Ukrainian families but also their employers, neighbors and the local economy. “They are taxpayers. They are employees. They are neighbors. They have children who are dependent on them,” Beshir said.

CCFCS is urging the federal government to extend and redesignate TPS for Ukrainians, allowing families to remain safe while the war continues. The organization is calling on the community to contact their representatives in Congress to support a TPS extension and provide clear, compassionate immigration solutions.

As the October 19 deadline approaches, families like Voitovych’s and Kozak’s are left waiting, hoping for a decision that will allow them to continue their lives in Rochester.

News10NBC requested comment from DHS on if there would be an extension. Here is the statement.

Attribute Statement to USCIS Spokesman Zach Kahler:

“U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is actively processing discretionary re-parole cases, including those for Ukrainians, on a case-by-case basis as the law intends. Under this administration, all aliens are undergoing intense screening and vetting to better protect the safety and security of the American people.”

On Background:

             Any potential actions related to the future of Temporary Protected Status for Ukraine will be announced at the appropriate time in a Federal Register notice. See TPS webpage for more on processing.

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