Bill would let eligible people from Ukraine seek temporary protected status

Ukraine would be treated as designated for temporary protected status, allowing covered people to apply. It would cover Ukrainian nationals and stateless people whose last regular home was Ukraine. Applicants must have continuously resided in and been physically present in the United States since enactment. They must register, meet the stated admission rule or exception, and avoid the cited disqualifications. The designation would begin October 20, 2026, and end July 1, 2029.

Covered applicants would not be treated as having built up unlawful-presence time. It would protect people who otherwise qualify for temporary protected status under the measure. This rule would apply only if the measure becomes law after October 20, 2026. The entire measure would apply back to October 20, 2026.

Homeland Security would process protected-status and related work-permit applications and provide advance travel consent in qualifying emergencies. The application rule covers Ukrainian nationals and stateless former residents; travel consent covers people granted status under this designation. For travel consent, the person must prove that an emergency and circumstances beyond the person's control require a brief trip abroad. A person returning under that permission would be treated like any other returning person with temporary protected status. Homeland Security would have 90 days from receiving either type of application to complete its decision.