Kristina and Ted Hesson

WASHINGTON (Reuters] – U.S. President Joe Biden claimed last month the United States would take in up to 100,000 Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion. But lawmakers and advocates urged the Democratic president speed up visa and refugee processing.

Although several thousand Ukrainians entered the United States through Mexico’s border, some were granted legal visas. Only 12 Ukrainians entered the U.S. refugee programme in March.

WHY HAS THE U.S. NOT TAKEN MORE UKRAINIAN REFUGEES

More than 4 million people have fled Ukraine to neighboring countries since Russia invaded the country on Feb. 24, according to United Nations data https://data2.unhcr.org/en/situations/ukraine, touching off Europe’s fastest-moving refugee crisis since the end of World War Two.

Last month, top Biden officials repeatedly stated that most of the Ukrainian refugees would travel to Europe in the conflict. Russia called it a “specially military operation”.

The Biden administration, however, stated that they would accept as many as 100,000 Ukrainians if the United States faced pressure from U.S. lawmakers.

There are several options, including the U.S. resettlement program which can lead to citizenship and existing visa avenues. Also, there is a relief program called “humanitarian parole” which lets people enter the country in an emergency.

Officials indicated that the effort might extend past the end of the current fiscal year on Sept. 30. This indicates that the government may not be able to move as quickly. The process of resettlement for refugees can be lengthy and complicated. There is also a large backlog in U.S. visa processing.

COULD THE U.S. COULD THE U.S. ACCEPT MORE UKRAINIAN RESFUGESES?

According to State Department data 514 Ukrainian refugees were accepted by the United States during Russia’s preparations for war. 12 more arrived in March after the conflict intensified.

The spokesperson for the State Department stated that it has halted refugee operations within Ukraine’s capital Kyiv, but continues to handle cases via a Chisinau office, Moldova.

According to Reuters, many Ukrainian refugees who had been granted visas to travel to the United States were scheduled to leave Ukraine in March. According to the source, these cases were stopped by cancellations of flights related to conflicts, which led to the nearly-shutdown in admissions.

Advocates and lawmakers have asked the Biden administration for a faster processing time on Ukrainian applications, claiming that too much has not been done.

After his Republican predecessor Donald Trump slashed admissions by a record low of 15,000, Biden established the annual refugee limit at 125,000. This was a devastating program that led to delays in processing and further damage from the COVID-19 pandemic.

WHAT HAPPENS TO UKRAINIANS TRYING TO ENTER THE UNION STATES FROM MEXICO

Many thousands of Russians and Ukrainians are currently seeking asylum at the U.S. border. This trend could increase as the humanitarian crisis becomes more severe.

According to U.S. Department of Homeland Security, approximately 3,000 Ukrainians who were deemed particularly vulnerable by U.S. authorities were permitted to cross into the United States last week.

This route is the most convenient for Ukrainians to get into the United States, although they must enter Mexico with tourist visas. They cannot guarantee that they will be permitted to cross the border.

Enrique Lucero the director of the city’s immigration affairs, said that as of Thursday there were about 2,400 Ukrainians waiting in Tijuana to cross the border into the United States.

HOW ELSE ARE UKRAINIANS ENTERING UNITED NATIONS?

U.S. State Department refused to give statistics about visas granted to Ukrainians in March, and DHS didn’t say how many Ukrainians arrived in the United States that time.

According to State Department data, around 200 Ukrainians received immigrant visas for February, while almost 1,500 people were granted temporary non-immigrant visas. However, most visas approved by the State Department were probably issued before Russia invaded Ukraine in late February.

According to the State Department, visa applicants may have longer wait times at consulates and embassies in America due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Just like all applicants from Ukraine, Ukrainians may request faster processing when circumstances permit it. The department stressed that refugees should not be allowed to enter the United States under tourist visas.

According to one person who is familiar with the situation, more than 350 Ukrainians applied for humanitarian parole in order to be allowed to travel to the United States. According to the source, 28 children’s medical care applications were also approved.

If the U.S. IF THE U.S. DOES NOT ACCEPT MANY UKRAINIAN REFUGEES WHAT IS IT DOING?

To assist European refugee countries, the U.S. Government is providing significant economic assistance.

During his March visit to Europe, Biden promised $1 billion of humanitarian assistance for people affected by war.

Biden had earlier signed into law an spending bill of $13.6 billion for Ukraine and European Allies. This includes approximately $4 billion for people fleeing.

Also in March, the U.S. government announced it will give Temporary Protected Status in (TPS), to 75,000 Ukrainians who are already living in the United States. It would not be available to anyone arriving after March 1.

65 members of the U.S. House of Representatives sent a bipartisan request to Biden this week to change the TPS designation to include recently-arrived Ukrainians.