In the wake of the war in Ukraine, an ongoing refugee crisis began in Europe. A lot of people needed to leave their houses and countries and take the road of migration. The war in Ukraine has led to Europe’s largest refugee crisis since World War II. Since February 2022, when the war began, Europe has been under stress from 3 million refugees.
Neighboring countries, like Poland, Romania, Moldova, Hungary, and Slovakia, were those who first sheltered the most Ukrainians. At this point, the greatest number of refugees have settled in Poland (1.5 million), Germany (1 million), and the Czech Republic (0.4 million). Therefore, the United States announced in March 2022 that it would accept up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees.
The conflict behind the war in Ukraine has been ongoing since 2014 and has had a devastating effect on the country’s population. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed or injured, and millions have been internally displaced. The conflict has also caused extreme economic hardship, with the country’s economy shrinking by almost a quarter since the start of the war.
As a result, many Ukrainians have chosen to seek refuge in the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, over the last eight years, more than 200,000 Ukrainians have been granted asylum in the United States.
Since February 2022, approximately 47,000 Ukrainians have come to the U.S. on temporary or immigrant visas; nearly 30,000 Ukrainians arrived under a private sponsorship program; more than 22,000 Ukrainians were admitted along the U.S.-Mexico border; and 500 Ukrainians entered the country through the traditional refugee system. Yet, we need to remember that behind these statistics are real people who have had to flee their homes and start anew in the United States.
Many Ukrainian migrants have had to start from nothing in the United States, having to learn a new language and adjust to a totally different culture. For many, this process has been made even more difficult due to the lack of access to resources. As a result, Ukrainians have had to rely on the kindness of strangers and the support of organizations such as the International Rescue Committee as well as local organizations such as the Spokane Slavic Association.
According to DHS (Department of Homeland Security) statistics, a total of 123,962 people in the U.S. have applied to financially sponsor Ukrainian refugees through a private sponsorship program the U.S. government set up since April 2022.
Among the most involved states in sponsoring Ukrainian refugees in the U.S., Washington is in fourth place with 9,544 applications, according to Department of Homeland Security data.
A lot of Ukrainians are seeking refuge in the United States under the program “Uniting for Ukraine.” They do not receive the typical status of “refugee,” which offers a path to citizenship, but instead they undergo a humanitarian process referred to as “parole,” which grants them legal permission to reside and work in the United States for a period of two years.
While the transition to life in the United States has been difficult for many Ukrainian migrants, they have been able to adapt due to strangers’ help, organizations, or certain programs.
We aim to continue supporting Ukrainians and help them start a stable, peaceful life in the United States.
