On April 21, 2022, U.S. President Joe Biden unveiled a program that would assist Ukrainians wishing to flee to the United States after Russia launched its unprovided invasion of Ukraine. The program is called “Uniting for Ukraine,” and it makes provisions for up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees to enter the United States directly, as ordinary international travelers, rather than attempting to enter the country in other ways, such as applying for asylum at a border crossing.

Uniting for Ukraine is operated under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and is a pathway to asylum that promises to be safer and simpler than traveling to the United States without any form of entry visa. Prior to the announcement of the Uniting for Ukraine program, approximately 20,000 Ukrainian refugees had entered the United States. Most of them applied for asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border and were accepted, but humanitarian conditions at the border deteriorated, triggering concerns about the safety and wellbeing of the asylum-seekers.

While there are still other methods to seek asylum in the United States, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security reports that about 6,000 Ukrainians have been approved by the new program. Approximately 19,000 Ukrainians have applied for the program so far.

Ukraine’s population is roughly 43 million. According to the BBC, as of the first week of May 2022, approximately 12 million Ukrainians have been displaced by weeks of brutal shelling and missile strikes in residential areas. About 5.7 million Ukrainians have now left the country, most of them (3.1 million) ending up in Poland.

The Uniting for Ukraine program has several requirements for approval. Ukrainians must apply online, pass a background check, and pass a biometric (health) check. However, each applicant must also secure financial sponsorship from an individual or group (presumably nonprofits and faith-based groups). Financial sponsors must also undergo background checks and audits of their financial means. Fortunately, the process is evidently not terribly time-consuming nor bureaucratic, considering only a little more than two weeks have passed since the Biden Administration rolled out the program.

President Biden also announced a $2 billion aid package to assist all Ukrainian refugees and to support democracy and humanitarian justice in Ukraine.

More Ukrainian asylum seekers are expected to apply for the Uniting for Ukraine. If 6,000 Ukrainians received clearance to travel to and enter the United States every two weeks, the Biden Administration's commitment to admit 100,000 Ukrainian refugees to the United States could be fulfilled within about four months.

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