US to accept up to 100K Ukrainian refugees

The U.S. will accept up to 100,000 refugees fleeing the violence in Ukraine, the White House said Thursday.

The move comes as President Biden is in Brussels to meet with European leaders and organize a Western response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian refugees would come to the U.S. through family-based visas and humanitarian parole, as well as some through the U.S. refugee program, according to a fact sheet released by the White House.

The fact sheet also said the United States will pledge an additional $1 billion in aid to those impacted by Russia’s war in Ukraine.

“This funding will provide food, shelter, clean water, medical supplies and other forms of assistance. We are also announcing an additional $320 million in democracy and human rights funding to Ukraine and its neighbors,” it read.

“The United States and the European Union are also coordinating closely to ensure that these efforts, and other forms of humanitarian admission or transfers, are complementary and provide much-needed support to Ukraine’s neighbors.”

More than 3.5 million Ukrainians have fled the country since the Russian invasion began on Feb. 24, creating the largest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.

Data from the U.S. State Department obtained by Reuters showed that in January and February, 514 refugees were admitted to the United States and that journalists, people who are LGBTQ+ and activists are among those whom the State Department are focusing on for admittance to the country. 

The White House told The Hill on Tuesday to refer to comments made by national security adviser Jake Sullivan, in which he said that Biden “will announce further American contributions to a coordinated humanitarian response to ease the suffering of civilians inside Ukraine and to respond to the growing flow of refugees.” 

The Russian war on Ukraine has been widely condemned by the international community and has led governments and businesses to take steps to isolate Russia economically, largely through mass sanctions on the country.

The Hill has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security, the White House and the National Security Council for comment. 

–Updated at 10:10 a.m.