Week of March 1–7, 2022

Israel will allow only "halachic" Jewish Ukrainians to immigrate as refugees flee after Russia's invasion, according to the country's Interior Ministry. This policy change means that only those born to Jewish mothers will be accepted under the Law of Return, which previously granted eligibility for immigration to every grandchild of a Jew. Non-Jewish Ukrainian partners and children will be allowed to immigrate if they are Jewish by religious law. Some 200,000 people in Ukraine were eligible for immigration to Israel under the previous policy, but it is unclear how many are ineligible due to the new restriction. The decision has been criticized as discriminatory, with one Knesset committee chair saying it creates two different categories of eligible individuals.

A community organization fighting for justice within the US immigration system, the Athens United Immigrant Support Project (AUISP), has launched a sponsorship programme to help asylum seekers access support in Athens County, Ohio. Sponsors are US citizens or legal permanent residents who support asylees in various capacities for about a year. They provide asylees with a safe, comfortable place to sleep, as well as have the financial means to provide basic necessities such as food, clothing and transportation. Sponsors also assist asylees on any legal proceedings. According to the International Rescue Committee, there are currently 68.5 million men, women and children who fled their countries because of war, persecution and political upheaval. AUISP, which was founded in 2019, has so far sponsored 20 individuals and families from seven different countries.

The Dignity Act, introduced by Republican U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, would provide legal status to many of the estimated 11 million immigrants living in the United States illegally, allowing those who have lived in the country for more than five years to remain and work without the threat of deportation. The bill also offers a path to citizenship, but it's a long one, and undocumented immigrants must pass a criminal background check, work, serve as a family caregiver, pay taxes and a special 2% levy to fund border security and an electronic identification system, and register with the government. The measure has so far failed to attract widespread support in part due to conditions it sets and limits it places on who would be eligible.

A coalition of faith and education leaders, businesses, and political advocates has formed the Alliance for a New Immigration Consensus and called on the US Congress to take action on immigration reform this year. In a letter sent to congressional leaders, the Alliance argued that Americans want commonsense reforms that address issues impacting communities across the country, including the legal status of Dreamers, farm workers and other immigrants, the security of the southern border, and the economic concerns surrounding the availability and cost of food. Recent polling indicates that 93% of voters agree that immigration reform is necessary and urgent, with more than 8 in 10 supporting solutions that strengthen border security, create a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, and ensure a legal workforce for farmers and ranchers. The letter called on Congress to address the everyday lives of undocumented immigrants, security vulnerabilities at the border, and workforce limitations in the agricultural sector that are contributing to supply chain disruption and raising cost concerns.

Lauren Aronson is the director of the Immigration Law Clinic at the University of Florida. The clinic provides undocumented people with legal aid and functions as a learning experience for law students. Aronson also serves as a mentor to her students and said that passing on the passion and the will to serve underrepresented people is just as important to her. While the work the clinic does for clients is meaningful, Aronson shares that the impact she has on her students is just as important to her. She also acknowledged that the difficult emotional nature of the job can take a toll on her mental health, which is why she focuses on keeping herself healthy outside of work. She also advised her students that it's normal to feel emotional and upset about the things that their clients have lived through.

Florida's Senate has approved a measure targeting transportation companies that bring undocumented immigrants into the state, which critics warn could impact asylum seekers and children awaiting family reunification. The proposal is a top priority of Gov. Ron DeSantis, and would expand a 2019 law aimed at banning "sanctuary cities." The bill would also seek to shut down shelters housing unaccompanied children whose refugee or immigration status is being processed, of which Florida provided for around 3,400 minors last year. Democrats have opposed the measure, arguing that so-called "ghost flights" are political fiction, while others believe that the bill could pose a threat to thousands of migrants in the state whose temporary visas have expired or whose asylum applications are already being processed. Mike Fernandez, a billionaire health-care executive from Miami, called the bill "shameful" and warned it would hurt employers already facing extreme worker shortages.

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has granted temporary protected status (TPS) to Ukrainians living in the United States. The TPS provides relief to people facing extreme hardship if forced to return to their countries of origin, which have been affected by armed conflict or natural disasters. Individuals must have continuously resided in the US since March 1 to be eligible for the TPS, which will last for 18 months. The move could benefit an estimated 75,100 Ukrainians, according to a DHS spokesperson, double previous estimates. The Migration Policy Institute had previously forecast that around 30,000 Ukrainians on visas could benefit from TPS. The Biden administration has been under pressure from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers, as well as immigrant advocates, to provide protections to Ukrainians in the US who cannot return to war-torn Ukraine. Ukraine now joins a list of 12 countries that have been designated for TPS, including Venezuela and South Sudan.

President Joe Biden has come under fire from Hispanic activists over his administration’s approach to immigration, with some criticising him for giving little more than lip service to the issue. Despite promising to provide a “pathway to citizenship” for undocumented immigrants, such as “Dreamers”, in his State of the Union address, congressional action on the issue has stalled, prompting some to question whether Biden is truly committed to it. A poll released in January found that 56% of registered voters disapprove of Biden’s handling of immigration. The president has also faced criticism for failing to deliver on his promise to protect Dreamers by pushing legislation to provide them with a means to obtain legal status.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett stated on Sunday that Israel is prepared to absorb a significant wave of Ukrainian immigrants, as the war in Ukraine continues. The state is currently working on plans for absorbing varying numbers of immigrants, which will be presented to the Cabinet this week. Bennett spoke hours after returning from visits to Moscow and Berlin to discuss events in Ukraine, including a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Israel has already sent 100 tons of medical equipment, winter gear, and emergency supplies to Ukraine, and plans to set up a field hospital in Ukraine this week. Bennett also commented on the International Atomic Energy Agency's decision not to accede to Iran's demand to close open files regarding its nuclear program, stating that the agreement does not obligate Israel in any way

The Canadian government has unveiled new immigration streams for Ukrainian nationals seeking to come to Canada either temporarily or permanently, as a response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will create a Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel, which will allow Ukrainians fleeing the country to stay in Canada for up to two years. Meanwhile, a special family reunification sponsorship stream for permanent residence will be developed in the coming weeks, which will extend beyond immediate family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Furthermore, IRCC will issue open work permits to Ukrainian visitors, workers and students who are currently in Canada and cannot safely return home. There will be no limit to the number of Ukrainians who will be permitted to apply under the new temporary stream.