Last week, President Joe Biden announced the “Uniting for Ukraine” program, a streamlined process designed to allow Ukrainian citizens to seek refuge in the United States.
In a press release from the United States Department of State, the program was described as a fulfillment of the president’s commitment to welcome as many as 100,000 Ukrainians and others fleeing Russian aggression in the country.
The press release also said that the State Department would increase refugee resettlement processing, making the application process much quicker, while also broadening access to visa processing as U.S. consular posts abroad.
“We are proud to deliver on President Biden’s commitment to welcome 100,000 Ukrainians and others fleeing Russian aggression to the United States. The Ukrainian people continue to suffer immense tragedy and loss as a result of Putin’s unprovoked and unjustified attack on their country,” Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said.
Mayorkas added that his department would work with the Department of Homeland Security to ensure that as many Ukrainians can find refuge in the United States.
What Does the Program Do, Exactly?
Under the new “Uniting for Ukraine” process, Ukrainian citizens displaced by the war will be able to apply for humanitarian parole in the United States. Anyone will be eligible to apply as long as they were residents in Ukraine as of February 11, this year. They must also have a sponsor in the United States who will assume financial responsibility for them during their time in the United States.
Applicants must also be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and go through the normal biometric and biographic screening that all U.S. immigration and refugee applicants go through.
An online portal is expected to open on April 25 that will allow U.S. sponsors to upload documents to assist in the application process.
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society.
