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Uniting for Ukraine

Uniting for Ukraine and
Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans

Sponsorship Hub

 

Welcome

Welcome! Thank you for your interest in supporting displaced individuals from around the world and providing a welcoming, safe place of refuge.  The Y is here to support you!  Before you begin your journey, please complete this short survey.  Answering a few questions and providing us with your basic contact information will allow our team to maintain contact with you and guide and support you through your process of welcoming the stranger.   

The Y’s New Americans Initiative has a long history of supporting newcomers in New York City.  From our services in 1908 on Ellis Island to present day, we have supported and guided hundreds of thousands of newcomers in living the American dream!

 

Background

The war in Ukraine, coupled with the change of government in Afghanistan and the many persistent crises around the world, has forced more than 100 million people to flee conflict, violence and persecution. The U.S. government responded to this past year’s crises by welcoming 76,000 people forced to flee Afghanistan—the largest evacuation of its kind since the Vietnam War—and committing to accepting 100,000 refugees from Ukraine, as well as raising the refugee resettlement ceiling to 125,000 for fiscal year 2022.

There have always been American communities eager to step up to welcome newcomers. However, beginning with the Syrian refugee crisis in 2015 and continuing today as people flee Afghanistan, Ukraine, Venezuela and elsewhere, even more community members have been offering their help. The Y, through its partnership with Welcome.US, resettlement agencies, local, city and state partners, and community members, has responded to this enthusiasm by supporting sponsorship efforts at the local and national levels.

Questions

What is Uniting for Ukraine (U4U)?

Uniting for Ukraine allows eligible individuals to temporarily join a supporter (Sponsor) in the U.S. who has offered to sponsor them for two years.

In this program, entry into the U.S. is granted as humanitarian parole – a legal mechanism whereby the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may grant entry to individuals who are otherwise not eligible for admission to the U.S. for a temporary period for urgent humanitarian need or to serve the public interest. Under Uniting for Ukraine, DHS will grant humanitarian parole on a case-by-case basis for a period of up to two years.

Sponsors must:

  • Be U.S.-based individuals in lawful status, including U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or other lawfully present individuals. This includes Ukrainian Americans, immigrants who have Temporary Protected Status (TPS), recently arrived refugees, and other everyday Americans.
  • Pass security and background vetting, and
  • Demonstrate sufficient financial resources to “receive, maintain, and support” the Ukrainians they commit to support for two years.
What are the processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV)?

Under CHNV, the U.S. government allows people fleeing violence, oppression, and strife in Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti and Nicaragua to seek refuge in the United States on a temporary basis known as humanitarian parole, with the support of a sponsor in the United States. The sponsor will provide financial support to meet the basic needs of newcomers, particularly before a newcomer secures a job, and may also provide additional support, such as assistance enrolling in educational or training programs or securing employment.

The only way for Venezuelans, Cubans, Haitians and Nicaraguans to find safety in the United States is through the support of a sponsor, like you.

How is the program for CHNVs different from Uniting for Ukraine?

Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) laid the foundation for the program for CHNV. The programs are very similar. Whether a sponsor supports an individual or family from Ukraine or CHNV, they will fill out the same I-134A application form with the same type of information. Sponsor responsibilities, such as providing financial support or help with navigating employment and housing, are the same, and beneficiaries will have the same immigration status of humanitarian parole, which will last for two years post arrival.

Sponsors have the exact same eligibility requirements under both programs, including lawful presence and the ability to pass security and background checks. Sponsors must show that they can support the newcomer financially upon arrival, if needed, or submit information that shows that an organization, institution, or employer will help them with financial or in-kind (such as housing) support.

Beneficiaries from Ukraine and CHNV must meet eligibility requirements. Requirements can be found by visiting Welcome.us or USCIS for the most recent information.In addition, Ukrainians who arrived under U4U were granted eligibility for a larger set of public benefits and refugee services by Congress. Currently, individuals and families arriving under Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans do not have the same eligibility for benefits as those under U4U. However, both Ukrainians and Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans or Venezuelans arriving through humanitarian parole are eligible to apply for work authorization, which means they will be able to support themselves soon after arrival.

These new humanitarian programs also require the support of a sponsor in the U.S. in order for these vulnerable populations to seek refuge here. This is now the only designated pathway for most Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans to find refuge in the United States.

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