Ukrainian Protection Act of 2022
This bill designates Ukraine as a temporary protected status (TPS) country for 18 months from the enactment of this bill. (Qualified nationals of a TPS-designated country shall have work authorization and may not be removed from the United States while the designation is in effect.)
To qualify for TPS, a national of Ukraine must (1) meet certain admissibility and eligibility requirements generally required for such status, and (2) register with the Department of Homeland Security.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6892 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6892
To designate Ukraine under section 244 of the Immigration and
Nationality Act to permit nationals of Ukraine to be eligible for
temporary protected status under such section, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 2, 2022
Mr. Cicilline (for himself, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr.
Quigley, Mr. Harris, and Ms. Kaptur) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To designate Ukraine under section 244 of the Immigration and
Nationality Act to permit nationals of Ukraine to be eligible for
temporary protected status under such section, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Ukrainian Protection Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) On February 24, 2022, Vladimir Putin launched a
``special military operation'' in Ukraine, and has since
authorized hundreds of missile and artillery attacks against
Ukraine and sent tens of thousands of Russian troops into
Ukraine in an unlawful and unprovoked act of war.
(2) On February 27, 2022, Vladimir Putin ordered his
nuclear forces to be on high alert.
(3) Conservative approximations estimate that hundreds of
Ukrainians have been killed and thousands wounded as a result
of Russian attacks, and that more Ukrainians will die or be
severely wounded if Russia does not end its attack on Ukraine.
(4) During ongoing Russian attacks on Ukrainian soil,
millions of Ukrainian citizens have had to seek shelter in
their homes, bomb shelters, and subway stations.
(5) Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, almost 900,000
Ukrainian refugees have already fled the country to neighboring
countries, such as Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia.
(6) It is estimated that there will be up to 4 million
refugees as a result of Russian attacks on Ukraine if the
conflict continues to escalate.
(7) Russian airstrikes against Ukraine have severely
damaged residential buildings and key residential
infrastructure in Ukraine, including major airports, a public
square and opera house in Kharkiv, a hospital area in Vuhledar,
and Kyiv's main television tower, causing television broadcasts
in Ukraine's capital to temporarily cease.
(8) On February 24, 2022, the U.N. Secretary General stated
of the Russian invasion of Ukraine: ``The use of force by one
country against another is the repudiation of the principles
that every country has committed to uphold. . . . We know the
toll of war. With deaths rising, we are seeing images of fear,
anguish and terror in every corner of Ukraine.''.
(9) On February 24, 2022, the U.N. High Commissioner on
Refugees stated of the Russian invasion of Ukraine: ``The
humanitarian consequences on civilian populations will be
devastating. There are no winners in war, but countless lives
will be torn apart.''.
(10) On February 24, 2022, the UNICEF Executive Director
stated of the Russian invasion of Ukraine: ``UNICEF is deeply
concerned that intensifying hostilities in Ukraine pose an
immediate threat to the lives and wellbeing of the country's
7.5 million children. Heavy weapons fire along the line of
contact has already damaged critical water infrastructure and
education facilities in recent days. Unless the fighting
subsides, tens of thousands of families could be displaced,
dramatically escalating humanitarian needs.''.
(11) On February 26, 2022, the United Nations Office for
the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs released their first
report on the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, noting
that: ``Significant infrastructural damage has left hundreds of
thousands of people without electricity or water, while bridges
and roads damaged by shelling have left communities cut off
from markets for food and other basic supplies.''.
(12) On February 24, 2022, the State Department issued a
Travel Advisory Level 4: Do Not Travel. This advisory read, in
part: ``Do not travel to Ukraine due to armed conflict and
COVID-19. . . . On February 24, Russia's forces attacked major
Ukrainian cities, and the Ukrainian government closed its
airspace to commercial flights due to Russia's military
actions. . . . The security situation throughout Ukraine is
highly volatile, and conditions may deteriorate without
warning. U.S. citizens should remain vigilant and take
appropriate steps to increase their security awareness. Know
the location of your closest shelter or protected space. In the
event of mortar and/or rocket fire, follow the instructions
from local authorities and seek shelter immediately. If you
feel your current location is no longer safe, you should
carefully assess the potential risks involved in moving to a
different location.''.
(13) While United States policy advises Americans that
current conditions make it unsafe to travel to Ukraine, the
same conditions make it dangerous and inappropriate to forcibly
repatriate Ukrainians at this time.
(14) Ukraine's recent crisis and existing dangers to anyone
located in Ukraine, which have been recognized by domestic and
international actors, clearly make Ukrainian nationals
currently in the United States eligible for temporary protected
status under subparagraphs (B) and (C) of sections 244(b)(1) of
the Immigration and Nationality Act (commonly known as
``TPS'').
(15) There are more than 30,000 Ukrainian nationals
residing in the United States who could benefit from TPS
designation during this ongoing conflict.
(16) TPS grants temporary protection from deportation to
nationals of a country in which environmental or political
events have occurred which make it temporarily unsafe to deport
them. TPS has been granted to nationals of many countries due
to ongoing armed conflicts in these nationals' home countries.
(17) TPS is appropriate and necessary to grant to
Ukrainians in the United States given the ongoing violent
conflict in Ukraine.
SEC. 3. DESIGNATION FOR PURPOSES OF GRANTING TEMPORARY PROTECTED
STATUS.
(a) Designation.--
(1) In general.--For purposes of section 244 of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1254a), Ukraine shall
be treated as if such country had been designated under
subsection (b) of that section, subject to the provisions of
this section.
(2) Period of designation.--The initial period of such
designation shall begin on the date of enactment of this Act
and shall remain in effect for 18 months.
(b) Aliens Eligible.--In applying section 244 of the Immigration
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1254a) pursuant to the designation made
under this section, and subject to subsection (c)(3) of such section,
an alien who is a national of Ukraine is deemed to meet the
requirements of subsection (c)(1) of such section only if the alien--
(1) is admissible as an immigrant, except as otherwise
provided under subsection (c)(2)(A) of such section, and is not
ineligible for temporary protected status under subsection
(c)(2)(B) of such section; and
(2) registers for temporary protected status in a manner
that the Secretary of Homeland Security shall establish.
(c) Consent To Travel Abroad.--The Secretary of Homeland Security
shall give the prior consent to travel abroad described in section
244(f)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1254a(f)(3))
to an alien who is granted temporary protected status pursuant to the
designation made under this section, if the alien establishes to the
satisfaction of the Secretary of Homeland Security that emergency and
extenuating circumstances beyond the control of the alien require the
alien to depart for a brief, temporary trip abroad. An alien returning
to the United States in accordance with such an authorization shall be
treated the same as any other returning alien provided temporary
protected status under section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality
Act (8 U.S.C. 1254a).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line