U.S COMMITTEE FOR REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS
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USCRI Statement: USCRI and Fellow Advocates Call for Ukraine TPS Redesignation

August 11, 2023

Today, the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) and five leading organizations called on the Biden administration to immediately extend and redesignate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ukraine for 18-months.

Temporary Protected Status extends work authorization and protection from removal for nationals of designated countries experiencing conflict, an environmental disaster, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions.

“Given the worsening humanitarian situation, providing safe haven to Ukrainian nationals through TPS is of the utmost importance,” according to the letter drafted by USCRI, TPS-DED Administrative Advocacy Coalition (AAC), and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS).

The letter was endorsed by six lead advocacy organizations, including USCRI. It was addressed to President Biden, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Click here to read the full letter.

The current designation of TPS for Ukraine is set to expire on October 19, 2023. The request highlights how conditions that originally prompted the designation have significantly escalated. This includes attacks on civilians – including children – destruction of civilian infrastructure, forced deportations, and other grave human rights abuses.

USCRI and advocates are urging the administration for the timely redesignation of TPS to ensure that more recent Ukrainian arrivals seeking refuge in the United States can access protection.

“The war in Ukraine continues to inflict catastrophic consequences on civilians, including mass displacement,” said USCRI President and CEO Eskinder Negash. “It is critical that the U.S. government continue to use TPS as an essential tool to provide refuge to Ukrainians fleeing the devastation of war.”

Advocates for TPS for Ukraine also emphasized the need for the administration to prioritize racial justice and equity in TPS determinations.

“USCRI remains steadfast in its commitment to advocate for the rights and protection of all people in forced or voluntary migration. We urge the Biden administration to immediately grant TPS to countries that have long awaited a designation, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, and Mauritania,” added Mr. Negash. “The speed at which the administration designated TPS for Ukraine in 2022 should represent an overarching standard for our nation to ensure protection and well-being for all those seeking safety.”

USCRI, founded in 1911, is a non-governmental, not-for-profit international organization committed to working on behalf of refugees and immigrants and their transition to a dignified life.

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