New US law makes forced removal of Ukrainian children grounds for sanctions

President Trump signed H.R. 5334, the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, on Sept. 18, a law that for the first time explicitly makes the forced deportation of Ukrainian children grounds for U.S. sanctions. The statute covers forcible transfers, enforced disappearances, unjust detention, and torture, and applies to people who 'knowingly' participated, a standard that includes those who 'should have known,' according to the advocacy group Bring Kids Back UA, which says this could reach guardianship structures, transport operators, and document-processing officials.

Sanctions require the president to review potential violators within 30 days of enactment and every 180 days after, imposing asset freezes and U.S. entry bans on those who meet the criteria. The law names senior Russian officials, including the president, prime minister, and defense minister, as subject to review, though Trump retains waiver power if he certifies a waiver serves the national interest.

Bring Kids Back UA's head, Maksym Maksymov, called the provision more durable than an executive order because it is now written into federal law rather than resting on political statements alone. The bill took over a year to pass after Senators Graham and Blumenthal introduced an earlier version in April 2025 with tariffs up to 500% on countries buying Russian oil, a provision substantially softened during negotiations with the administration.

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