2 years ago
The Biden administration will announce its intention to welcome 100,000 Ukrainian refugees and others affected by the Russian war on Ukraine, a person familiar with the plan told POLITICO on Thursday.
The crisis in Ukraine has quickly unfolded as the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II. More than 3 million Ukrainians have fled the country since Russia began its invasion last month, according to the United Nations.
The White House has prioritized Ukrainians seeking reunification with family in the U.S., along with LGBTQ people, journalists, dissidents and activists, three people familiar with the conversations told POLITICO earlier this week. Journalists and others in these vulnerable groups have been targeted by Russian forces.
As of March 22, the U.S. has taken in 7,888 refugees for fiscal year 2022, according to the State Department. The annual refugee cap for fiscal year 2022 is 125,000, a figure Biden raised after facing backlash from fellow Democrats. Ukrainian refugees will not count toward this figure unless they are admitted through the refugee program, which not all of them will be, nor are all 100,000 expected to arrive in the U.S. within the year.
Laura Barrón-López contributed to this report.
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