In a recent letter to President Biden, a bipartisan group of 65 House members urged the president to take a number of actions to help Ukrainians seeking refuge in the U.S. in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“We appreciate the decision on March 3, 2022 to announce Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ukrainian nationals physically present in the United States as of March 1, 2022, so that no Ukrainian needs to return immediately to a country under siege while Russia advances a military campaign that indiscriminately attacks civilians and military targets alike,” the lawmakers said in the letter.
“As the conflict continues, we urge you to modify the physical presence eligibility date for TPS from March 1st to the publication date of the forthcoming Federal Register notice, thereby making any Ukrainian in the United States on that date eligible for Temporary Protected Status,” they said. “This technical update could provide significant relief for Ukrainians who recently entered, as they cannot—and should not—return to a war zone right now. It will also allow these Ukrainians to work and attend school, contribute economically to the United States and support themselves, while they await the end of this war.”
The House members said that they also welcome the Administration’s announcement that the United States will accept up to 100,000 Ukrainians fleeing harm through “the full range of legal pathways,” including the refugee admissions and regular immigration processes, as well as through humanitarian parole.
“In concert with this announcement, we also recommend you utilize existing administrative options to improve efficient processing for Ukrainians outside of the United States who already qualify for immigration benefits.” the lawmakers told Biden.
“We encourage the Administration to further provide additional resources to U.S. embassy personnel across Europe who are processing immigrant visa applications for eligible Ukrainians, including immediate family members of U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.”
The lawmakers said that they have been alerted to the need for more coordination between the National Visa Center and Department of State (specifically U.S. Embassies).
Click here for the April 6 letter.
The Immigration and Refugee News Digest 