Hours after Russia began a sweeping invasion of Ukraine, immigrant and refugee groups ramped up calls Thursday for the Biden administration to protect Ukrainians in the U.S. and prepare for a wave of refugees fleeing the embattled country.
Multiple organizations called for Temporary Protected Status or Deferred Enforced Departure to cover Ukrainians, designations that would allow them to remain in the U.S. without fear of deportation.
“The events presently transpiring in Ukraine warrant swift action and robust protections,” said Scott Boylan, leader of the Council on National Security and Immigration and former senior adviser at the Department of Homeland Security. Boylan called on the administration to fulfill its “obligation to provide humanitarian support for those caught in the crosshairs of invasion and political instability.”
