By Julia Ainsley -
NBC News
More than 71,000 Ukrainians have arrived in the United States since President Joe Biden announced in March that his administration would take in up to 100,000 refugees fleeing the country's war with Russia, according to new data from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). English acronym).
Refugee advocates say the numbers are good news, but say the Biden administration is not responsible for bringing most of those who have found their way here.
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DHS data suggests the majority of those who have entered the US so far have done so on pre-war visas or by crossing the US-Mexico border, and not through the web portal. United for Ukraine from the Biden Administration, which allows Americans to sponsor Ukrainians they know.
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Although more than 22,000 have crossed the southern border since March 24, that route has been largely closed with the launch of the web portal and Ukrainians at the border have begun to be put under the health order. public policy related to COVID-19, known as Title 42, which blocks many migrants from applying for asylum.
The DHS detailed that more than 15,000 Ukrainians have entered the United States after being approved for online sponsorship and more are expected to come, as another 23,000 have been approved but have not yet traveled to the United States.
Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, president and CEO of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, pointed out that the White House is inflating the number of Ukrainians it has worked to bring in, since only 15,000 have come through the system it established.
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“We should not count towards the 100,000 pledge those who were not actually prosecuted through the United for Ukraine program.
I think the numbers show the current
ad hoc
nature of the program,” Vignarajah said.
"Ukrainian refugees are creatively exploring all avenues to seek refuge in the US. But we should make it as simple and easy as possible," she added.
DHS referred our sister network NBC News to the White House National Security Council (NSC) for comment.
In a statement, an NSC spokesperson said, “We are proud to honor President Biden's commitment to welcome 100,000 displaced Ukrainians and others fleeing Russian aggression and seeking refuge in the United States.
Ukrainian refugees enter the El Chaparral border crossing at the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) San Ysidro PedWest port of entry at the US-Mexico border in Tijuana, Baja California state , Mexico, on April 9, 2022. Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images
We look forward to continuing to welcome Ukrainians to our country as we continue to take steps to support those fleeing the ongoing war.”
Only 300 Ukrainians have been resettled through the traditional US Refugee Admissions Program, which uses federal funds to bring in refugees vetted by the United Nations and resettle them in communities with resources to help find doctors, schools, jobs. and connections to their cultures.
Although Biden promised to renew the program after the Trump administration slashed it, his administration has used emergency humanitarian parole powers to quickly, but temporarily, bring in Afghans and Ukrainians.
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Many Afghans who served with US troops have been stranded in the now Taliban-controlled country, while others brought to the United States find themselves in long lines to apply for benefits such as work authorization.
Lacy Broemel, a policy analyst with the International Refugee Assistance Project, said the high number of Ukrainians admitted to the United States shows that the Biden administration could bring in more refugees from other countries if it were willing to do so.
“This is a reflection that when they have the political will, they can do it.
We want that same will to apply to Afghans still waiting for parole and other populations waiting to be admitted through the US refugee program,” Broemel explained.
