The Biden administration on Thursday granted Ukrainians in the U.S. temporary protection from deportation amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced that Ukraine would receive Temporary Protected Status for 18 months. To qualify, Ukrainians have to have been in the U.S. since March 1, 2022.
He called Russia’s attack “premeditated and unprovoked,” resulting in “senseless violence.”
“In these extraordinary times, we will continue to offer our support and protection to Ukrainian nationals in the United States,” he said in a statement.
Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, is granted when a person cannot safely return to their home country because of ongoing conflict, environmental disasters or other extreme conditions.
People who are granted TPS are protected from deportation and granted work visas.
Immigration advocates and bipartisan groups of lawmakers have called on Biden in recent days to offer TPS to Ukrainians as the Russian invasion enters its second week.
The TPS designation is expected to protect roughly 30,000 Ukrainians currently living in the U.S.