By David Jones
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PALM COAST, Florida (WESH) — A Ukrainian family who escaped the war with Russia and settled in Palm Coast said they have started a new life in the United States, complete with new businesses and a home for their family.
But, they said, their future is uncertain amid the confusion surrounding immigration and statuses like temporary protected status (or TPS) and humanitarian parole.
According to the Ukraine Immigration Task Force, more than 280,000 Ukrainians entered the United States during the last federal administration through the Uniting for Ukraine program.
The program granted Ukrainian refugees parole status and an American sponsor.
Debbie Rambis and her husband Mark are one of those couples who volunteered to be a sponsor, meaning they provide support while the Ukrainian refugees acclimate to life in the United States and war rages on in their homeland.
“All of us are immigrants unless we’re Native American,” Rambis said. “I can tell you, from a native speaker of English, how difficult our system is to navigate.”
The Rambis couple met the Yakovenkos, a family of four fleeing Kyiv back in 2022.
Soon, they were welcoming the family with open arms at MCO.
“All they have gone through, and the struggles, and yet, they are so successful now, more successful than some of our U.S. citizens,” Rambis said.
After living with the Rambis’ in Kissimmee, the Yakovenkos moved to Palm Coast.
Inna and Oleg started businesses: Inna began a permanent makeup and lash business, while Oleg (who formerly worked as a sailor in Ukraine) began a mobile repair business after working for a time offshore.
Both have been successful in their career fields.
The couple, along with their two children, bought a home.
“I have a lot of clientele here that love my work, and I’m very proud of it,” Inna said in Ukrainian. “All of my services here are very well appreciated.”
“I feel very confident and excited because my business is growing.”
However, as the federal government has placed Ukrainian parole and temporary protected status in limbo, the Yakovenkos are concerned.
They said they have had friends who have lost their work authorization.
“We just feel like the uncertainty with everything going on with immigrants is the worst part for us,” Inna said.
“We’re doing good, but only one main question is about our status,” Oleg said.
Rambis said the family was one of those who mistakenly received a letter a few months ago from the Department of Homeland Security informing them that they would have to leave the country.
While DHS said it was a mistake, Rambis said it’s those type of errors along with the cancellation of the Uniting for Ukraine program and the limbo of TPS that has the Yakovenko’s and other Ukrainian families on edge.
“It’s almost inhumane the tension that they are now suffering through in not knowing what’s going to happen,” Rambis said. “They are professionals, they have businesses, this is the type of foundation that we need in our country, it’s what our country’s built on. No one should be living in fear in the United States like that.”
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