Certain Ukrainians eligible to extend their stays in the US
The Department of Homeland Security said Monday that certain Ukrainians who entered the U.S. at a land border shortly after Russia’s invasion, and were given permission to stay for one year, may be eligible to remain longer in the country.
The potential extensions will be available to an estimated 25,000 Ukrainians and their immediate family members who entered the U.S. at a port of entry from Feb. 24, 2022, through April 25, 2022, and were allowed to live and work in the U.S. for one year under a legal authority known as parole, according to a DHS spokesperson.
Many of these individuals entered the U.S. from Mexico at a port of entry after Russia invaded Ukraine in February of last year, but before the Biden administration had announced its program, dubbed “Uniting for Ukraine,” that allows Ukrainians with U.S. sponsors to fly directly to the U.S. and remain for up to two years.
The DHS spokesperson said there are still “urgent humanitarian reasons” to extend the parole period for these Ukrainians so they line up with those who benefited from the Uniting for Ukraine program.
“As Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the unprecedented humanitarian crisis it has caused continue, DHS assesses that there remain urgent humanitarian reasons, as well as a significant public benefit, for extending the parole of certain Ukrainians and family members on a case-by-case basis to align with the parole provided under Uniting for Ukraine,” the spokesperson said.
Ukrainians do not need to apply for parole and work permit extensions. DHS will instead “proactively make available online an updated arrival record form with the extended parole period,” according to the spokesperson. The department estimates this review process will take approximately four weeks.
The move represents the latest showing of support for Ukraine by the Biden administration, as the Eastern European nation enters its second year of war with Russia. Read More…
