Biden administration expands program to protect Ukrainians from deportation

The administration of US President Joe Biden is expanding eligibility for temporary protected status (TPS) for Ukrainians living in the US. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that the deadline for enrollment in the program has been pushed back by six weeks. Writes about it CBS News.

Photo: Shutterstock

In early March, DHS head Alejandro Majorcas announced a TPS program to protect Ukrainians in the United States from deportation due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Majorcas said at the time that only Ukrainians living in the US as of March 1 could qualify.

On April 18, however, Mallorcas revealed that Ukrainians residing in the US as of April 11 would also be eligible for the TPS program if they met different rules and passed screening. The government estimates that 59 Ukrainians may apply for TPS once the program opens for applications on April 600.

Changing the cut-off date could result in thousands of Ukrainians who managed to enter the US after the Russian invasion, including those who were allowed to enter the US through the Mexican border on humanitarian grounds, to be eligible for the TPS program.

A 1990 law allows DHS to offer TPS to immigrants from countries experiencing armed conflict, environmental disasters, or other emergencies that may prevent them from safely returning to their home country.

On the subject: Candid photos in exchange for money: Ukraine has created an unusual platform to help the military

Majorcas said the war in Ukraine "poses a grave danger" to Ukrainians returning there, citing Russia's constant bombing of Ukrainian cities, human rights abuses committed by Russian forces, massive displacement of civilians, and the impact of the conflict on critical services.

“Emergency conditions, including destroyed infrastructure, lack of resources and lack of access to health care, do not allow citizens of Ukraine to safely return to their homeland,” Majorkas said.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) suspended deportations to Ukraine and other countries in the region in early March.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine in late February triggered the largest refugee crisis since World War II, forcing nearly 5 million people to flee the country in less than three months, according to the UN.

Biden promised the US would take in up to 100 Ukrainians displaced by the war, but has yet to announce any programs or policy changes to achieve the goal.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York.

Since visas are required to enter the US directly, thousands of Ukrainians have taken the multi-day journey from Europe to Mexico to reach the southern border of the US, where officers have been tasked with considering exempting Ukrainians from entry restrictions during the pandemic and accepting them on humanitarian grounds.

Between February 1 and April 6, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials registered nearly 10 Ukrainians who did not have prior clearance to enter the country, an unprecedented number, according to DHS internal data.

During the same period, 41 Ukrainians entered the US with visas, according to DHS.

In March alone, a dozen Ukrainians entered the U.S. as part of the traditional refugee process, which usually takes years to complete due to UN applications, interviews, medical examinations and body searches, State Department data show.

Unlike the Donald Trump administration, which has sought to scale back humanitarian immigration programs, the Biden administration has made extensive use of TPS powers to provide protection against deportation of hundreds of thousands of immigrants from countries torn by war, ethnic conflict, political unrest, and natural disasters.

Read also on ForumDaily:

Eight bright Hollywood celebrities with Ukrainian roots

Under what conditions can Ukrainians now enter the United States: useful advice from the State Department

These people know five languages: advice from polyglots on how to master a foreign speech

How to help Ukraine: 22 effective ways

31 days: the story of the shortest presidential term in the United States

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.