Ukrainian Refugees Detained at U.S.-Mexico Border
- Maia Noah
- Apr 21, 2022
- 2 min read
Source: Luis Diaz Devesa
In March alone, U.S. immigration officials detained more than 5,000 migrants from Ukraine at the nation's land, sea and air borders. A significant influx was seen especially at the U.S.-Mexico border, contributing to a record influx of newcomers from Latin America and the Caribbean this year.
US Customs and Border Protection released these figures Monday, April 18.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection figures indicate overall detentions have been up regardless of citizenship. In March, figures show nearly 250,000 total detentions in comparison to just around 190,000 detentions in February.
In February, the U.S. saw fewer than 1,150 Ukrainian refugees. Thus, this constitutes the first official accounting of Ukrainians seeking refuge at U.S. ports and borders since Russia officially invaded Ukraine on February 24.
The Washington Post reported that many of these Ukrainian detainees have been released into the U.S. through humanitarian parole.
With all this, on Monday, April 18, according to a Department of Homeland Security notice, the Biden Administration extended temporary protected status (TPS) for Ukrainians for another 18 months. This moves up the program's cut-off date by six weeks.
In early March, when this TPS was originally announced for Ukrainians, only those Ukrainians living in the United States as of March 1 would qualify. The notice on Monday, April 18, rather stated that Ukrainians living in the United States as of April 11 would now be eligible for TPS.
The United States Mexico International Border Wall between Sunland Park New Mexico and Puerto Anapra, Chihuahua Mexico | Source: grandriver
Ukrainian Refugee Numbers
As of April 20, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, in total, five million people have now fled Ukraine, leaving behind their homes and families all in pursuit of a sense of safety and security. This is officially the largest refugee crisis since World War II.
Here's an updated breakdown of where those fleeing Ukraine are ending up (numbers updated as of April 19, 2022):
The Latest on the Ground in Ukraine
On Tuesday, Ukrainian officials pointed out a location of apparent mass graves outside the besieged city of Mariupol, via satellite images.
Plus, US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal spoke briefly on Capitol Hill Thursday, April 21.
Prime Minister Shmyhal shared that Ukraine feels the support it is receiving from the United States. He also emphasized the necessity of sanctions, as well as other forms of aid. In placing emphasis on these matters, Shmyhal said financial aid is especially critical for internally displaced people and Ukrainian refugees.
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