"Belsat": About 3,000 Belarusians Face Deportation From The U.S.
- 28.07.2026, 11:42
- 1,698
Since the beginning of 2025, at least 127 Belarusian citizens have been detained.
Belarusian organizations in the United States are sounding the alarm over the increasing number of detentions of Belarusians by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Of the 3 million asylum cases filed, 3,162 involve Belarusians, who are currently at particularly high risk. Yevgeny Zhdanovich, head of the ByAction initiative, spoke about this in an interview with “Belsat”.
It was recently reported that a seriously ill Belarusian woman, Ekaterina Bortko, who had sought political asylum in the U.S., was detained by ICE officials and placed in a temporary detention center.
Evgeny Zhdanovich, head of the ByAction initiative, asserts that the situation has changed significantly with the return of Donald Trump to the White House. Since 2025, the situation for migrants from Belarus in the U.S. has worsened further, following changes within the Trump administration itself.
Using open data, the organization ByAction notes that out of 3 million asylum cases filed, 3,162 involve Belarusians who are currently at particular risk. This primarily refers to those who entered the United States via Mexico without the proper visa.
“Even at the border, you can use a humanitarian ‘password’ to obtain temporary permission to enter the country on humanitarian grounds. Even after swimming across a river or making your way through the mountains or the desert, you can contact USCIS and request asylum, claiming that you’re fleeing retaliation by a cartel, the government, or a crazy, mustached old man from Belarus,” says Yevgeny Zhdanovich.
The ByAction initiative notes that since the beginning of 2025, at least 127 Belarusian citizens—107 men and 20 women—have been detained. At the time of the latest report on the cases of Belarusian migrants, 64 people remained in custody, 8 had been deported, and 9 had agreed to voluntarily leave the United States. People are being arrested en masse and placed in detention centers even before their asylum cases are heard—even if they have no record of violations or a criminal history and pose no danger to society.
In addition, since July 2025, there has been a sharp decline in the percentage of positive asylum decisions for Belarusians. In May 2026, a record low was recorded—a full 76% of cases were denied, meaning only 24% were granted. This is in contrast to May 2025, when 73% of cases resulted in positive decisions.
Finally, another problem is that many Belarusians who have moved to the U.S. seeking asylum have expired passports and, as a result, cannot leave the country on their own.
Detention can last up to 2.5 years, but the average is 10 months. The cost of a lawyer’s services and filing appeals over this period can range from $10,000 to $40,000.
Belarusians in the “risk zone” are advised to do the following:
— prepare their documents;
— find an assistant to handle issues with the bank, lawyers, and documents;
— be prepared to end up in prison. The initial period is the most critical for taking the right steps: finding a lawyer, verifying their background, and preparing documents;
— if you know you’re unlikely to prove your need for asylum, consider finding another place to live outside the U.S.;
— Under no circumstances should you forge documents;
— Refrain from flying within the country, as this is now highly likely to result in arrest.
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