On March 13, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it will provide a 1-year extension for Ukrainians who were originally given 1-year parole and who entered the United States between February 24 – April 25 of last year. The announcement comes after The Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies, Jewish Federations of North America, and HIAS sent a joint letter to DHS Secretary Mayorkas on February 28 calling for the expiring parole to be extended for approximately 20,000 Ukrainians.

Twenty-six Jewish human service agencies across the United States and Canada have been working in partnership with Jewish Federations and HIAS to resettle more than 1,000 refugees since the war in Ukraine began. “The announcement will allow these refugees to renew their parole in a timely manner without fear of deportation, loss of benefits, or the expiration of work permits,” said The Network’s President & CEO, Reuben Rotman. “The Network is extremely pleased by this development. We know that the impending expiration has caused a great deal of stress for many of our member agencies’ clients and we will be working to ensure that all eligible clients will receive this 1-year renewal of their parole.”

Importantly, the announcement from DHS did not provide information about two additional priorities requested by The Network, Jewish Federations, and HIAS—extending Temporary Protected Status and ensuring Ukrainians in the Lautenberg process who arrived through U4U can access the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. The Network will continue to advocate for a resolution of these outstanding questions.

Read some of the national press coverage calling attention to this issue here.

For questions, contact us.