1. Why did Russia invade Ukraine?
When the Soviet Union fell in 1991, many former Soviet states decided they wanted their independence. One such country was Ukraine. Ukraine, historically the breadbasket of the Soviet Union, independently elected its first president in August of 1991. Over the next thirty years, the majority of Ukrainian politics hinged on whether to Westernize and become more European-facing or to turn back towards Russia. Putin’s belief, then and now, is that Ukraine is a part of Russia. The two countries, in his mind, are one people, and it is his job to reunite the countries and bring back the perceived glory of the USSR or Imperial Russia.
2. What is the timeline of the Russo-Ukrainian War?
3. How has the war impacted everyday Ukrainians?
4. Why aren’t Ukrainians staying in the United States permanently as refugees?
Most Ukrainians do not fit under the United States’ narrow legal definition of “refugee.” Likewise, most Ukrainians cannot seek asylum after they have entered the United States because a person applying to be an “asylee” must also meet the definition of “refugee." A person may only apply for refugee status from outside of the United States, while a person seeking asylum must apply from within the United States. This means the best options available to Ukrainians are to enter or remain in the United States under temporary programs – either a “parole” program, or a “Temporary Protected Status (TPS)” program. These types of statuses are typically granted to people fleeing a temporary conflict or disaster in their home countries, with the expectation that they will return home within a year or two.
5. What is Uniting for Ukraine?
The Biden administration created and implemented Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) in April 2022 to provide humanitarian parole into the United States for Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members. The Department of Homeland Security estimated in December 2022 that over 82,000 individuals have been paroled into the country under U4U. This program grants a temporary two-year stay for eligible Ukrainians, but it offers no further pathway to long-term residency. Ukrainians admitted under U4U must depart the country at the end of their parole period unless Congress or the Biden administration changes this deadline. Ukrainians who came to the United States via the U4U program are eligible to work. For more information, visit the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services website at https://www.uscis.gov/ukraine.
6. Is it safe to invite so many Ukrainians into the United States?
Like any program admitting large numbers of non-citizens into the United States, national security remains a top concern for many Americans. As a condition to U4U, Ukrainian beneficiaries and their family members are subject to biometric screening, such as fingerprint analysis and facial comparisons, before the United States authorizes their travel. Upon receiving biographical and biometric data from applicants, the United States Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS), along with Customs and Border Protection (CBP), will compare the data with a series of national security lists spanning multiple law enforcement agencies. After a beneficiary has successfully completed this screening process, they are permitted to travel to a land port of entry where a CBP officer will conduct further screening. CBP officers exercise considerable discretion in determining whether Ukrainian parolees can continue into the United States based on any additional information they receive during these border inspections.
Moreover, all beneficiaries are required to receive certain vaccinations, including those to protect from measles, polio, and Covid-19.
7. How are Ukrainians already contributing to our society?
Once a Ukrainian arrives in the United States under the U4U program, they are immediately authorized to begin working. Anecdotal evidence suggests that many of the 82,000 Ukrainians paroled into the United States under the U4U program are working. This means that many are participating in the American workforce during the on-going post-Covid labor shortage. Ukrainian employees contribute to our social security system, pay taxes on their income, and any sales taxes on purchases. Ukrainians' participation in the labor market has also allowed them to begin forging strong connections to the communities they now call home.
8. What additional benefits could Ukrainians provide on a long-term basis?
Along with bringing a diverse history, rich in culture and tradition, Ukrainian citizens also come with plenty of practical experience. Prior to Russia's invasion, Ukraine averaged one of the highest educational attainment levels among European labor forces. Additionally, as many as 50% of Ukrainians who fled Ukraine and are now living in other European countries have prior work experience in highly skilled sectors of employment. Countries such as Poland, Denmark, and the United Kingdom have seen a fast and well-documented integration of Ukrainian nationals into their workforces. There is no reason to suggest that the contributions of Ukrainians in the United States are different from those sheltering in Europe. Establishing a long-term solution would allow the American labor market to tap into this highly skilled workforce more effectively, improving both private-sector growth and government revenue through taxes.
9. What will happen to Ukrainians at the end of their authorized stay?
U4U parole status lasts only two years. Ukrainians who arrived prior to U4U might only be authorized to stay for one year. Parole ends on the date the parole period expires, is revoked, or when the parolee leaves the United States, or obtains long-term immigration status, whichever happens first. Although parole is intended to be temporary, in some instances, an individual may need to remain in the United States beyond the authorized period. With the war continuing to rage on in Ukraine, parolees in the United States fear that they will have no home to return to at the end of their parole period. If the government does not act to provide long-term solutions for Ukrainians in the United States, their presence after parole ends will be unlawful. This exposes Ukrainians who remain in the United States to additional risks and hardships, such as removal proceedings.
10. Has the United States provided permanent residency after initially allowing newcomers to stay temporarily for humanitarian reasons?
Congress has already provided pathways for permanent residency to previously paroled individuals in the United States temporarily. The United States welcomed nearly 200,000 humanitarian parolees from Vietnam and its surrounding areas in the mid-1970’s as the Vietnam War reached its conclusion. In 1977, Congress passed an adjustment of status act to provide 175,000 of these parolees with a pathway to permanent residency. Many studies of this large group point to positive economic impacts of providing permanent residency. Congress has legislated similar protections to vulnerable groups originating from Hungary, Haiti, Iraq, Cuba, and several other nations.
As it currently stands, Congress could pass adjustment of status legislation allowing Ukrainians to remain in the United States and could even require additional security vetting if desired. A permanent residency solution would likely lead to an adjustment of status for somewhere between 80,000-125,000 Ukrainians and their family members. This would be less than the total amount of people granted adjustment in prior acts and would represent a micro-fraction of the nation's total population.
11. Do Americans support a pathway to permanent residency for Ukrainians?
Organizations such as Thrive and the Ukrainian Relief Coalition are not alone in their pursuit to support Ukrainians fleeing the ongoing war. As of December 2022, over 177,000 American-based individuals have applied to serve as financial supporters for potential Ukrainian beneficiaries. Uniting for Ukraine has seen one of the largest shows of private-sector support on behalf of humanitarian immigrants in this country's history. According to Gallup and Pew Research, over 70% of polled adults in the United States are in support of providing long-term residency to Ukrainians. Not since World War II has the United States demonstrated such staggering public support for admitting a group of foreign individuals. This outpouring of support is clear proof that, if given a pathway to permanent residency in the United States, Ukrainians would be well equipped to integrate into American life.
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