President Joe Biden unveiled the "Unite for Ukraine" program at the White House on Thursday, a new expedited asylum process that will allow individuals and nonprofits to financially support Ukrainian refugees fleeing the ongoing Russian invasion, CNBC reported.
According to a Department of Homeland Security fact sheet, the program will go live Monday and is organized via a web portal where eligible applicants can apply to become sponsors.
The new asylum program will only be available for Ukrainians who have lived in their home country as of Feb. 11. They must also undergo vaccinations, biometric screening, and background checks before being granted admission.
"This new humanitarian parole program will complement the existing legal pathways available to Ukrainians, including immigrant visas and refugee processing," Biden told reporters. "It will provide an expedient channel for secure legal migration from Europe to the United States for Ukrainians who have a U.S. sponsor, such as a family or an NGO."
"This program will be fast. It will be streamlined. And it will ensure the United States honors its commitment to the people of Ukraine and that they need not go through our southern border."
Biden also announced during the press briefing $800 million in new military aid to Ukraine, including "dozens" of howitzer artillery systems, 144,000 rounds of ammunition, and tactical drones, according to Forbes.
In addition, the U.S. will send $500 million in emergency funding to the Ukrainian government to support ongoing operations.
The latest package comes as Ukraine begins to fend off the Kremlin's repositioned offensive away from Kyiv and towards Crimea and the Donbas region.
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