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Ukraine Update: Refugees, Asylum, US Embassy in Kiev

2/25/2022

UKRAINE Update: 02/25/2022

Новости из Белого Дома. Пресс секретарь объявил, что США готовы принять беженцев (refugees) с Украины.

Вначале им нужно покинуть страну и стать беженцами - например, уехать с Украины в Европу, и затем подавать на статус беженца.

Если украинцы находятся на территории США, то они могут подавать на политическое убежище (political asylum), статус asylee.

On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, it's estimated that up to 5 million Ukrainians may flee their country. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters the United States is ready to accept some of those refugees.

Since the invasion began early Thursday, Ukrainians fleeing the fighting have entered Poland, Romania, and Moldova, and there are centers set up at the borders to provide assistance.

In December 2021, Ukraine's defense minister estimated that between 3 and 5 million Ukrainians might be forced to leave their homes if Russia invaded. In comparison, about 1 million refugees entered Europe between 2015 and 2016 from Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and nearly 1.5 million people were displaced in 2014 when Russia invaded Crimea.

Read here.

https://news.yahoo.com/white-house-u-prepared-accept-030505583.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

UKRAINE UPDATE: 02/24/2022

UKRAINE UPDATE:

The US embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine evacuated and all consular services were suspended.

If you have a immigrant visa case assigned to Ukraine, consult your attorney to decide what to do, and if your case can be transferred to another US embassy in another country.

In Russian: с 12 февраля 2022 все консульские сервисы и выдача виз (даже без интервью, как вейвер) были приостановлены в посольстве США в Киеве в Украине. Более того, посольство было эвакуировано. По последним данным многие сотрудники выехали в Польшу после Львова.
Если у вас есть дело на иммиграционную визу (грин карту) по воссоединению семьи в посольстве в Киеве, обсудите с вашим адвокатом ваши шаги по переводу дела в доугое посольство США в другой стране, возможно ли это, что для этого нужно сделать.
В настоящее время невозможно предсказать когда ситуация вернется в норму.
Желаем вам мира!

Official announcement is here.

On February 12, 2022, the Department of State ordered the departure of most U.S. direct hire employees from Embassy Kyiv due to the continued threat of Russian military action. The Department previously authorized the voluntary departure of U.S. direct hire employees and ordered the departure of eligible family members on January 23, 2022.
On Sunday, February 13, 2022, the Department of State suspended consular services to include interview waiver services at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv. Applicants for U.S. nonimmigrant visas may apply in any country in which they are physically present and where there are appointments available. As each U.S. Embassy has specific application procedures, you should contact the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you wish to apply directly. Contact information for U.S. Embassies and Consulates is available at www.travel.state.gov.
If you have an immigrant visa case currently pending with U.S. Embassy Kyiv and would like to transfer processing of an immigration case to another U.S. Embassy, you must contact the receiving U.S Embassy in that country to authorize and initiate transfer. The Embassy will have a list of requirements which must be satisfied in order to begin the transfer process.

https://ua.usembassy.gov/visas/

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New Public Charge Rule Proposed by DHS

2/17/2022

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Under the proposed Public Charge rule, DHS proposes to change a definition from “likely at any time to become a public charge” to “likely to become primarily dependent on the government for subsistence.” Consistent with long-standing agency practice, DHS proposes to consider the following public benefits when making a public charge inadmissibility determination:

Supplemental Security Income (SSI);
Cash assistance for income maintenance under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program;
State, Tribal, territorial, and local cash assistance for income maintenance; and
Long-term institutionalization at government expense.

DHS proposes that it not consider noncash benefits such as food and nutrition assistance programs including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Children’s Health Insurance Program, most Medicaid benefits (except for long-term institutionalization at government expense), housing benefits, and transportation vouchers. DHS would also not consider disaster assistance received under the Stafford Act; pandemic assistance; benefits received via a tax credit or deduction; or Social Security, government pensions, or other earned benefits.
By law, many categories of noncitizens are exempt from the public charge ground of inadmissibility and would not be subject to the proposed rule. Some of these categories are refugees, asylees, noncitizens applying for or re-registering for temporary protected status (TPS), special immigration juveniles, T and U nonimmigrants, and self-petitioners under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Under the proposed rule, if a noncitizen received public benefits while in an immigration category that is exempt from the public charge ground of inadmissibility, DHS would not consider the noncitizen’s past receipt of such benefits as part of any future public charge determination.

The Proposed Rule is published here. And here.

On March 9, 2021, USCIS stopped applying the 2019 Public Charge Rule introduced by previous administration and reverted to the 1999 rule. Current overview of a public charge rule is here.

Briefly in Russian:

Департамент госбезопасности США опубликовал сегодня законопроект нового закона о Получении пособий для иммигрантов и как это влияет на возможность отакза грин карты как Public Charge (получатель пособий).

Закон от 2019 был отменен и его прекратили приминять в марте 2021. USCIS вернулся к применению старого закона от 1999, который более мягкий.

Сегодня опубликован новый законопроект, который сужает категории пособий, получение которых может лишить иммигранта шанса получить грин карту или вид на жительство в США.

Закон менят само определение того, что является public charge и получение каких именно пособий или бенефитов считается public charge.

Категрии пособий за которые можно лишиться шанса на грин карту сужены в основном на те группы, где пособие в форме денежных выплат. Medicaid за некторыми исключениями теперь не будет влиять на получение грин карты.

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VAWA Updates: USCIS Policy Manual February 2022

2/15/2022

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USCIS published policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual on eligibility, filing, and adjudication requirements addressing Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) self-petitions to update practices and align USCIS policies with recent court decisions.

USCIS updated interpretation of the requirement for "shared residence" to occur during the qualifying spousal or parent-child relationship. Instead, the self-petitioner must demonstrate that they are "residing or have resided with the abuser at any time in the past".

USCIS is also implementing nationwide the decisions in Da Silva v. Attorney General, 948 F.3d 629 (3rd Cir. 2020), and Arguijo v. United States, 991 F.3d 736 (7th Cir. 2021).

Da Silva v. Attorney General held that when evaluating the good moral character requirement, an act or conviction is “connected to” the battery or extreme cruelty when it has “a causal or logical relationship.”

Arguijo v. USCIS allows stepchildren and stepparents to continue to be eligible for VAWA self-petitions even if the parent and stepparent divorced.

Clarifies how USCIS considers the 2-year filing requirement when the self-petitioner’s marriage is terminated, the abusive U.S. citizen family member dies, and the abusive family member loses or renounces U.S. citizenship or LPR status.

Clarifies that INA 204(a)(2) does not apply when a self-petitioner files a Form I-360 based on a qualifying relationship to an abusive LPR spouse but does apply if the self-petitioner acquires LPR status and subsequently files a family-based spousal petition.

Provides guidance on special considerations for self-petitions filed subsequent to a Petition for Alien Relative (Form I-130) and an Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status (Form I-485).

Citation Volume 3: Humanitarian Protection and Parole, Part D, Violence Against Women Act [3 USCIS-PM D]

These updates are in accordance with Executive Order 14012: Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration System and Strengthening Integration and Inclusion Efforts for New Americans. (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/02/02/executive-order-restoring-faith-in-our-legal-immigration-systems-and-strengthening-integration-and-inclusion-efforts-for-new-americans/)

Briefly in Russian:
Недавно были внесены поправки и изменения в закон ВАВА / VAWA, о помощи жертвам домашнего насилия, и как они могут получить грин карту без помощи абьюзера. Изменения были внесены в официальное Руководство для сотрудников USCIS, которое опублоковано на их сайте.

The new guidance can be found in the USCIS Policy Manual and in USCIS Memo https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/policy-manual-updates/20220210-VAWA.pdf

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Ukraine Update: Refugees, Asylum, US Embassy in Kiev

New Public Charge Rule Proposed by DHS

VAWA Updates: USCIS Policy Manual February 2022

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