The US has frozen the Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) asylum program meant for Ukrainian citizens who can prove they resided in their home country up until February 11, 2022.
The program granted them entry into the US under a temporary humanitarian parole status for a period of up to two years.
U4U granted those who fled from the Volodymyr Zelensky regime authorization to work, access to Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and food assistance.
How Many Ukrainians Fled to US Via U4U?
Over 158,000 had entered the US as of September 30, 2023, according to a 2024 Department of Homeland Security report.
Another 350,000 Ukrainians had arrived outside the sponsorship process since the start of the conflict, per the report, with many crossing through Mexico.
How much of taxpayer money has it cost?
Approximately $3.4 billion have been allocated by the DHS for supporting Ukrainian refugees, including U4U funding, per the US Government Accountability Office
For comparison, as of 2023, there were about 36.79 million people living below the official poverty line in the US.