Opportunity to help Ukrainian Refugees

Friends of Ukrainian Refugees:

READ TILL THE END FOR OPPORTUNITY TO HELP

I am very happy to report an incredible story of a narrow escape by two Ukrainian refugees from Odessa, Ukraine to Romania, which just happened over the weekend.  One of them is an 8-months pregnant lady, who fled accompanied by her 16-year old sister, just as Odessa was entering into a curfew and the dark forces were threatening to encircle them both from the eastern side and from the north-west Transnistria side where tensions started fomenting.  Our law office and Honorary Consulate knew these refugees and coordinated closely with Romanian authorities to ensure their safety: after a sleepless night waiting for them to navigate clogged roads filled with Ukrainians seeking to escape at the same time, I was happy to hear they entered Moldova at Palanca, where a UNHCR Romania bus knew they were coming and picked them and others up and transported them safely through the Romanian border where they received Temporary Protected Status.  They then spent the night at the Husi, Romania refugee camp, where I got to speak on the phone with kind hearted Refugee Protection agents who were available 24/7 and who coordinated transportation for them to my family home in Transylvania, Romania (Reghin) the next day.  Two Romanian servicemen from the “Inspectoratul Pentru SItuatii de Urgenta” drove them for 6 hours to their destination.  I cannot be prouder of how the Romanian authorities handled this crisis!  The ladies are safe and we are looking to facilitate a safe delivery for baby boy at one of Romania’s best hospitals in Targu-Mures.  Ukrainian refugees get the same level of healthcare coverage as Romanian citizens. Unfortunately shortly after their escape, we read reports of Russian missiles being launched across Ukraine, including right next to their village near Odessa, which makes this escape even more real to us.

Stories like these abound among the more than 850,000 Ukrainian refugees who sought safety in Romania, second only to Poland.  They receive work authorization and health coverage upon entry, temporary housing in special centers or people’s homes and are able to integrate into the local labor force.  This is similar to most EU countries.

Which leads me to the topic of US immigration policies for Ukrainian refugees and what we can all do to help receive more Ukrainian refugees right here in Connecticut/ USA.  As you know, Ukrainians are no longer able to cross our US southern border through Tijuana since April 25.  I spent 3 days down there trying to get as many refugees into the US as legally possible.  I estimate that directly or indirectly we assisted about 2,000 of them cross over on Humanitarian Parole, including my 3 new friends who came along with me to Connecticut.  The border closed to make way for the new Uniting for Ukraine Parole Program (“U4U”) which is an INDIVIDUAL SPONSORSHIP program (see attached guidelines).  This has caused hardship on Ukrainians who arrived shortly after April 25 hoping to get int through the southern border, resulting in 1,000+ refugee camp in Mexico City, where everyone arriving in Tijuana or in Mexico in general is taken pending the processing of the new U4U program. 

Already I am getting INNUNDATED with requests from Ukrainian refugees in the Mexico City camp as well as Romania and other places in Europe to connect them with willing US sponsors who can help them get U4U papers (which involves housing and some living expenses until they can start working) so they can build a new life in the US.  I am in the process of setting up partnership locally in Connecticut to help me out with matching refugees to willing sponsors – more on that from IRIS (Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services) soon.  Please remember though that it is up to us, ORDINARY US CITIZENS/ PERMANERNT RESIDENTS/ LAWFUL NONIMMIGRANTS, to sponsor a refugee family or person.  Just like it was at the beginning in Romania, Poland and the EU, and in many ways still is.  If they can do it, why wouldn’t citizens of Connecticut, the richest state in the nation (as GDP/ capita) step up to the plate?  I have SEVERAL Ukrainian families from Mexico City waiting for sponsorship who confirmed they want to resettle in Connecticut.

When my European referral sources asked me “how many Ukrainian refugees can Connecticut absorb?” – clearly because they were overwhelmed – I responded “I do not know but we have 109,000 unfilled jobs in Connecticut (per CBIA)”, let’s start there and see how much individual sponsor support we can rally.  Happy to report that just in the past week, about 10 Ukrainian refugees have been matched or are in the process of getting matched to their generous Connecticut sponsors who reached out to me pursuant to press coverage such as NBC CT, WNPR, New Haven Independent, CT News Junkie, WNPR Where We Live, etc.  Besides their humanity, they have skills to offer ranging from welders and constructions workers, to car mechanics, to business executives, and healthcare professionals, to name a few that I already know of.

Here is how YOU can help – please choose one or more ways:

1. Federal immigration policies need to change to shorten processing of work permits for Ukrainians from 3-6 months down to less than 1 month.  This would reduce the burden on individual sponsors.  Why not get rid of work permits altogether and make work authorization INCIDENT to Humanitarian Parole status just like in the EU?  In the US, work permits trigger SSN and thus ability to open bank accounts, obtain health coverage, get a driver’s license, etc. 
2. Connect me with state decisionmakers willing and able to help form a more institutionalized state support of currently private efforts to bring Ukrainian refugees to our state.  A lot of issues affecting them need to be worked out before we receive large numbers of new refugees: driver licenses/ permit; health coverage; English lessons for some; schooling for children; etc.
3. In business circles who need labor: send me resources on what exactly are the 109,000 unfilled jobs so refugees can consider this in their decision-making as to where to resettle.
4. Nonprofit, Community and faith leaders: please figure out your role in providing awareness and back up support to INDIVIDUAL SPONSORS who step up to host refugees so they don’t feel ALONE in their initiative.  U4U program actually encourages the pooling of resources and communities to assist refugees.  I will only refer Ukrainian refugees to entities I believe will actually help them.
5. Legal processing of U4U papers: I am looking to get law students – preferably Ukrainian/ Russian speaking – to intern for credit at our law firm this summer to help Ukrainian refugees with legal and logistical needs. Share with law schools in the area.
6. Simply spread the attached guidelines to any potential individual sponsors who have plenty of room in their house for families of 3-4 people.
7. Donate to living expenses of the 3 refugees already in Connecticut here: https://romanulonline.org/donations/.
8. Donate to Romania’s efforts to assist Ukrainian refugees here: https://www.romanianunitedfund.org/donate_to_ukrainian_peace_fund.
9. Support the Ukrainian-American community in Connecticut with their efforts to fundraise and in general, don’t forget that Ukrainians know the best way to help Ukrainians, so accept their leadership in the nonprofit sector.  They will need lots of support as they are facing not only conditions in Ukraine, but an incoming refugee population in Connecticut.  Please contact me for any corporate events you want to dedicate to their cause and I will connect you with the right organization/ church.
10. Support Ukrainian artists who donate proceeds towards humanitarian efforts in Ukraine by shopping for beautiful jewelry and accessories here: uaartsy.com.

DISCLAIMER: PLEASE NOTE THAT OUR LAW FIRM OR HONORARY CONSULATE DOES NOT ENGAGE IN ANY VETTING OR BACKGROUND CHECKING OF ANY SPONSORS OR REFUGEES – RATHER, WE ONLY MAKE AN INTRODUCTION SO THE PARTIES CAN COMMUNICATE AND CHECK THEIR OWN COMPATIBILITY, FOR LACK OF ANY OTHER AVAILABLE REPUTABLE MATCHING OPTION.  SUCH VETTING ROLE IS RESERVED SOLELY FOR THE US GOVERNMENT WHO WILL BE VETTING ALL INVOLVED IN THE U4U PROGRAM FOR BACKGROUND AND SECURITY CHECKS, PLUS IN THE CASE OF REFUGEES, PUBLIC HEALTH CHECKS.  WE DO NOT EVER REFER UNACCOMPANIED MINORS, BUT ONLY FAMILIES WHERE THE ADULTS ARE DEMONSTRABLY RELATED TO THE CHILDREN (BEWARE AND STAY AWAY FROM MINORS-ONLY REFERRALS FROM IRREPUTABLE SOURCES IN ORDER TO PREVENT HUMAN TRAFICKING). 

This message was written by Dana Bucin, honorary consul and attorney, based in Hartford, Connecticut. Although being directed towards the Romanian community in Connecticut, we wanted to spread its message on how Romanians here in Houston can also help Ukrainian refugees.