EXPLAINER-Why did the US resettle only 12 Ukrainian refugees in March?
11 April 2022 - 08:03
BY TED HESSON AND KRISTINA COOKE
US President Joe Biden said last month that the US would accept up to 100,000 Ukrainians fleeing Russia's invasion, but lawmakers and advocates have urged the Democratic president to speed up refugee and visa processing.
While several thousand Ukrainians have entered the US via the border with Mexico and some on legal visas, only 12 Ukrainians came through the US refugee program in March.
WHY HASN'T THE U.S. TAKEN IN MORE UKRAINIAN REFUGEES?
More than 4 million people have fled Ukraine to neighbouring countries since Russia invaded the country on Feb. 24, according to United Nations data , touching off Europe's fastest-moving refugee crisis since the end of World War 2.
Top Biden officials said repeatedly last month that the vast majority of Ukrainian refugees would go to Europe during the conflict, which Russia calls a “special military operation.”
Ukrainians wait in Mexico to get into the US
It started just a week ago when 35 Ukranians where camping on the Mexican side of the southern US border, waiting to get into the states. As a border city Tijuana knows this situation quite well, however the immigrants sheltered there are usually from Central America, not from Ukraine. Our reporters were on the ground to find out more. @DW
Deutsche Welle
But facing pressure from US lawmakers and refugee advocates, the Biden administration said on March 24 that the US would use “the full range of legal pathways” to accept up to 100,000 Ukrainians.
https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2022-04-11-explainer-why-did-the-us-resettle-only-12-ukrainian-refugees-in-march/
