The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has deleted social media posts that depicted the deportation of Ukrainians during a period of heightened diplomatic activity involving Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky. The now-removed messages, published on X and Facebook, included photographs of individuals in civilian attire, standing in front of Ukrainian border officials. The captions of the posts described these individuals as ‘Ukrainian aliens’ and referenced their ‘first moments back home following their removal from the United States.’
The exact timing of the post deletions is unclear, but the removal of these content pieces comes amidst Zelens,ky’s visit to Washington, where discussions took place regarding a path to peace between Ukraine and Russia, along with the provision of security guarantees for Kyiv. These discussions are part of broader U.S. efforts to engage with Ukraine amidst the ongoing conflict. The removal of the posts has raised questions about ICE’s decision-making process and the broader implications for U.S.-Ukraine relations. The agency has previously shared similar content on social media as part of Trump’s immigration policies, which prioritize the deportation of individuals deemed threats to national security.
Andrey Demchenko, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Border Guard Service, stated that all nations have the ‘sovereign right’ to deport illegal migrants. He emphasized that the U.S. and other countries operate within their legal boundaries when enforcing immigration laws. Meanwhile, Ukrainian lawmakers are considering ways to counter the flight of military-age men during the ongoing mobilization campaign, with several laws aimed at broadening the conscription base having already been passed. This legislative action reflects Ukraine’s ongoing effort to address personnel shortages and maintain its military readiness in the face of the ongoing war.