Last week, Democratic Senator Bob Menéndez (New Jersey), anticipated the need for the Government of President Joe Biden to approve a Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ukrainians living in the United States, after the military invasion orchestrated by Russia.
Now the formal request is led by that senator, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Dick Durbin (Illinois), Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and Republican Rob Portman (Ohio), as well as 26 senators.
“We respectfully request that your Administration promptly take all necessary steps to ensure that Ukrainian citizens present in the United States are not forced to return to Ukraine, including designation… for Temporary Protected Status (TPS)“, the letter indicates.
The senators indicate that the TPS was created for citizens of another country who reside in the United States but are unable to return to their home countries due to a serious threat to their personal safety, whether due to armed conflict, the temporary effects of an environmental disaster, or other extraordinary conditions.
Remember that TPS allows eligible citizens of designated countries to remain in the United States for a specified period.
As part of the justification, the senators indicate that on February 24 Ukraine declared a state of emergency and closed its airspace to commercial flights, due to a military invasion by Russia.
“Russian forces have used hundreds of missiles against military and civilian targets throughout Ukraine in clear violation of the international law”, indicated the senators, who cite reports of at least 353 deaths.
The US Congress implemented TPS through the Immigration Act of 1990. The program offers protection from deportation and Employment Authorization (EAD) to citizens of certain previously assigned countries.
“Forcing Ukrainian citizens to return to Ukraine in the middle of a war would be incompatible with the values of the United States and our national security interests”, the senators note.
Civil organizations have expressed their support for the Biden Administration to grant this protection to Ukrainians, as expressed by Reverend Alvin Herring, executive director of Faith in Action, a coalition of religious organizations that work with immigrants.
“We fully support… and other immigration efforts … our hearts go out to the people of Ukraine,” said Herring.
Lia Parada, Director of Legislative Advocacy at Immigration HUB, expressed on the podcast “El Diario Sin Limites” , that this program would benefit some 100,000 Ukrainians, but they should also be implemented other measures for refugees.
“About Ukraine are 100,000 people who would qualify for TPS , those are those who are in the United States, not the refugees, those are another account that would qualify for another immigration protection… both things must be done”, said Parada.