Ukrainians In U.S. To Be Protected From Deportation To War-Torn Homeland

One week after Russia attacked Ukraine, the U.S. introduced a brand new Momentary Protected Standing designation for undocumented Ukrainians in America, sheltering them from deportation to their war-torn homeland.

“Russia’s premeditated and unprovoked assault on Ukraine has resulted in an ongoing battle, mindless violence, and Ukrainians compelled to hunt refuge in different international locations,” Homeland Safety Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stated in an announcement offering TPS to Ukrainians for 18 months. The designation permits them to work legally within the U.S.

“In these extraordinary instances, we are going to proceed to supply our assist and safety to Ukrainian nationals in the US,” Mayorkas stated.

The choice got here after bipartisan calls from lawmakers in addition to immigrant rights groups.

There are about 28,000 Ukrainians eligible for the protected standing within the U.S., based on the Middle for Migration Research.

An estimated 1 million folks have fled Ukraine in the hunt for security because the begin of the Russian invasion.

In response to the TPS designation for Ukraine, immigrant rights teams applauded the news but also called out a racist double commonplace on which immigrants the U.S. will swiftly supply such protections to.

“I’m so glad that Ukrainians now have 18 months of Momentary Protecting Standing,” Erika Andiola, chief advocacy officer for immigrant rights group RAICES, stated in a tweet. “It’s also painful to see how fast that was in comparison with Cameroon, Mauritania, different African and Central American international locations which have had battle for years and have gotten nothing.”

Immigrant rights teams have lengthy been calling for the U.S. to offer TPS protections to individuals who got here right here to flee disaster situations of their international locations, together with from Cameroon, Afghanistan, Guatemala and different Central American nations.

In accordance with the Division of Homeland Safety, the U.S. presently grants TPS protections for folks from Venezuela, Syria, Myanmar, Yemen, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Sudan and South Sudan.

DHS didn’t instantly reply to HuffPost’s request for remark.

Earlier than the announcement, Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) posted on Twitter her name for the U.S. to designate Ukraine for TPS and provide “these same protections to refugees from Africa, Middle East, Latin America, Asia.”

Immigrant rights group CLINIC famous that there have beforehand been requires the U.S. to offer TPS protections to Ethiopia, Cameroon, Mauritania, Afghanistan and different international locations.

“The backlog of TPS designations for Black-majority international locations right here within the U.S. mirrors the anti-Blackness we’re seeing as African college students and others in Ukraine are denied entry to flee the battle,” CLINIC’s director of advocacy, Lisa Parisio, stated in a press release.