The United States will host up to 100,000 Ukrainians

Searching for new homes for refugees from Ukraine 1:06 (CNN) — The United States will take in up to 100,000 Ukrainians and others fleeing Russian aggression, a senior administration official announced Thursday.
“To fulfill this commitment, we are considering the full range of legal avenues to reach the United States,” the official said, including the US refugee admissions program, humanitarian permits, and immigrant and non-immigrant visas. More than 3.5 million refugees have already fled Ukraine, according to data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees released on Tuesday. The vast majority of those refugees have fled to Ukraine’s western neighbors across Europe. The official said the White House will not have to ask Congress to expand the current annual refugee cap, which is set at 125,000 for fiscal year 2022, because it is really a “long-term commitment” and there will be other avenues. for many of those Ukrainians to enter the United States. “We still have significant capacity in the 125,000 range, so we don’t currently see the need to expand,” the official said. In a fact sheet about the new effort, the White House reiterated its view that it hopes “many Ukrainians will choose to remain in Europe close to family and their homes in Ukraine.” The official said the administration is working to expand and develop new programs with “a focus on welcoming Ukrainians who have relatives in the United States.” There will be an emphasis on protecting the most vulnerable among refugee populations, including members of the LGBTQI+ community, those with medical needs, journalists, and third-country nationals. “By opening up our country to these people, we will help relieve some of the pressure on European countries that are currently shouldering much of the responsibility,” the official added. The announcement comes ahead of President Joe Biden’s visit to Poland next Friday, which is intended, in part, to highlight the massive refugee crisis that has unfolded since Russia’s war in Ukraine began a month ago. Poland, which borders Ukraine to the west, has seen the entry of more than two million Ukrainian refugees. However, the number of refugees remaining in Poland is smaller, and many continue their journey to other countries. When Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Poland earlier this month, she was personally asked by Polish President Andrzej Duda to streamline and simplify the paperwork for Ukrainians with families in the United States to get to the country.
He also warned Harris that his country’s resources were being severely strained by the influx of refugees, even as Poland welcomes them with open arms. The US has been considering a number of options to deal with the refugee crisis, including streamlining the US refugee admissions process for Ukrainians and helping Europe with the influx of refugees across the region. Biden recently signed a spending bill that will earmark more than $4 billion in humanitarian aid for Ukraine, including $1.4 billion to help with the refugee crisis. Prior to Thursday’s announcement, the Biden administration had already taken steps to extend aid to Ukrainian refugees amid the crisis, including deciding to allow Ukrainians in the United States to remain in the country under a form of humanitarian aid. — CNN’s Maegan Vazquez and Priscilla Alvarez contributed to this report.