Biden program to welcome refugees to US rolls out Monday
TAMPA, Fla. - There's a new hope for thousands of Ukrainian refugees needing a safe place to stay as the Russian invasion continues.
President Biden said the new program called Unite for Ukraine will allow 100,000 Ukrainians access to the U.S. through a quick and legal immigration process that will provide much needed relief.
The president had previously said that the U.S. would be providing direct assistance and offering safety to thousands of refugees. On Thursday, he announced the Unite for Ukraine program which will streamline the immigration process for those fleeing their homes.
Unite for Ukraine will allow refugees to come to the U.S. directly from Europe. President Biden said it will provide "an expedient channel for secure and legal migration," adding that it will be both fast and streamlined.
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The program will work by allowing individual U.S. citizens, as well as nonprofit organizations, to sponsor refugees as long as they are able to financially support them. The program will center around a web portal where sponsors and refugees will be able to be vetted and approved.
Those hoping to take refugees in will not be limited as to how many they can help, but they will need to pass background checks and prove they’re financially able to support the refugees.
Refugees will also need to meet certain criteria in order to be accepted into the Unite for Ukraine program. They will need to have lived in their home country since February 11. Additionally, they will have to pass background checks and undergo biometric screening and vaccinations in order to be approved. If they are accepted into the program, they will be considered for humanitarian parole, making them eligible for work authorization and giving them the ability to stay in the U.S. for up to two years.
The online portal is where both refugees and sponsors will be directed to in order to be approved and accepted into the program. The Unite for Ukraine portal is set to go live Monday, although no exact time for the debut was given.