Federal agents on February 6 arrested a Ukrainian fugitive wanted for the attempted murder of a police chief in Ukraine and welcomed him as a humanitarian parolee under former President Joe Biden’s administration.
Several agencies helped apprehend Mykola Zhytnichenko, a criminal illegal immigrant from Ukraine, who was wanted for allegedly attempting to murder a police unit chief, narcotics trafficking, racketeering and organized crime.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Buffalo said he is a “dangerous fugitive” who fled Ukraine. He allegedly tried to use an explosive device to murder a police chief and committed other crimes, the agency said in a news release.
Zhytnichenko, 41, was admitted to the United States on March 21, 2023, through the Biden administration’s “Uniting for Ukraine” humanitarian parole program.
Ukrainian authorities issued a warrant for his arrest in October 2023, but he remained free in the United States.
Zhytnichenko was arrested on Feb. 6 in Binghamton, N.Y., by ICE Buffalo, Homeland Security Investigations, the IRS’ Criminal Investigation division, FBI Albany and the U.S. Marshals Service.
The effort involved a close collaboration with both domestic and international partners, said HSI Buffalo Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan.
“Our actions send a clear message: The United States will not tolerate fugitives seeking to evade justice for their grave crimes abroad,” Keegan said. “HSI remains dedicated to serving as a critical partner in safeguarding both national and international security.”
More than 510,000 Ukrainian immigrants lived in the United States in 2024, an increase of 28% from 2021, according to the Migration Policy Institute.
The Uniting for Ukraine program, launched in 2022, granted certain individuals relief from deportation and access to a work permit for two years. For a brief period in 2022, the U.S. government also temporarily admitted Ukrainians who arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border without authorization to enter.
An estimated 240,000 to 280,000 Ukrainians legally entered the country through various programs, including Uniting for Ukraine and Temporary Protected Status, according to various reports.
The Trump administration paused new applications for the program in January 2025. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services resumed processing re-parole requests last August.
Zhytnichenko’s arrest reveals more loopholes in Biden’s humanitarian programs and sends a message to immigrants who try to misuse parole programs that they will be held accountable, said ICE Buffalo Enforcement and Removal Operations acting Field Office Director Tammy Marich.
“Foreign criminals cannot exploit U.S. immigration laws to escape prosecution in their home countries,” Marich said. “ERO is committed to safeguarding our communities and maintaining the integrity of our immigration system.”
After his arrest, Zhytnichenko was transported to the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility. He will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
In another recent case on the West Coast, ICE officers arrested Moldovan fugitive Victoria Sorocean on Nov. 4 in Los Angeles. She was wanted in her home country for murder committed with premeditation and exceptional cruelty, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Authorities said Sorocean and an accomplice tortured their victim inside an apartment in Chisinau, Moldova. In September 2013, they were found guilty of beating a victim with a stick and an electrical cable before throwing them out the window from the ninth floor.
Sorocean fled her home country to avoid serving a 17-year sentence for the crime and was let into the U.S. The Eastern European worked the United States’ immigration system, walking free in the U.S. for more than decade, despite a previous run-in with ICE.
Sorocean was arrested once before on Jan. 10, 2020, under Trump’s first term, but she delayed her removal through legal appeals and asylum claims. DHS officials said the Biden administration released the convicted murderer back into the country in 2022.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
