Ukrainian and Russian Undocumented Immigrants Entering Through U.S.-Mexico Border Seeking Political Asylum
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2022
According to U. S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data, the number of Ukrainian and Russian undocumented immigrants entering the United States through the U.S.-Mexico border seeking political asylum have significantly increased in 2021 and are expected to continue to grow in 2022 due to Russia’s military invasion and war against Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
Prior to Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, the United States reported almost 20,000 Ukrainians and Russians seeking political asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border for violation of their political rights and other reasons.
During the first quarter of the 2021-2022 federal government’s fiscal year from October to January, over 1,000 Ukrainians were apprehended and over 6,400 Russians were apprehended at the U. S.-Mexico border.
In the 2020-2021 fiscal year, only 680 Ukrainians and about 4,100 Russians were detained at the U. S.-Mexico border for the entire fiscal year.
The CBP data shows a significant increase of both Ukrainian and Russian migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border during the first quarter seeking political asylum. This increase is before Russia’s February 24, 2022 invasion of Ukraine. CBP anticipates a significant increase for the remainder of the fiscal year due to the current war ongoing in Ukraine.
The U. S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on March 2, 2022 that it was granting Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ukrainians in the United States for 18 months, shielding up to 75,000 Ukrainian nationals already present in the United States as of March 1, 2022 from deportation.
Individuals eligible for TPS must have continuously resided in the United States since March 1, 2022. Individuals who attempt to travel to the United States after March 1, 2022 will not be eligible for TPS.
“Russia’s premeditated and unprovoked attack on Ukraine has resulted in an ongoing war, senseless violence, and Ukrainians forced to seek refuge in other countries,” said DHS Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas.
An estimated 1.5 million to 5 million Ukrainians are expected to become refugees worldwide as a result of Russia’s brutal invasion.
Ukrainians and Russians favor flying to Mexico on a visa from their respective country and seek to cross into the United States through the U.S-Mexico border via cars, walking, and other means.
As the Russian invasion against Ukraine intensifies and gets bloodier, many Ukrainians and Russians will seek political refuge worldwide, including the United States.
