More than 271,000 Ukrainian refugees have been admitted to the United States since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began one year ago, according to the Department of Homeland Security, far above President Joe Biden’s stated goal of admitting 100,000.
Just over two-fifths, or more than 117,000, of those who were admitted came via the Biden administration’s “Uniting for Ukraine” program, which allows Americans to sponsor Ukrainians to prove that they will be financially supported in the U.S. DHS, which administers the program, said more than 200,000 Americans came forward as sponsors.
About 150,000 Ukrainians came to the U.S. outside of the program, some through the traditional refugee program and others by crossing the U.S.-Mexico border prior to the program launching last April.
“DHS remains committed to supporting Ukrainians in the United States, and we continue to explore opportunities to provide avenues for humanitarian relief and protection for Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s unprovoked war,” a DHS spokesperson said.
In addition to Americans sponsoring individual Ukrainians, many more have supported efforts to provide emergency relief to Ukraine and to refugees displaced from the country.
On the crowdsourced fundraising website GoFundMe, Americans and American organizations have raised more than $275 million for humanitarian relief and Ukrainian causes.
Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher’s GoFundMe “Stand With Ukraine” became the second-highest fundraiser in the website’s history, raising more than $37 million.
