Ukrainian Migrants Find Easier Path to Enter U.S. at the Mexican Border

[Boiler 45,733]

https://archive.ph/ubI5W#selection-83.5-83.76

 

“The Department of Homeland Security recognizes that the unjustified Russian war of aggression has created a humanitarian crisis,” the memo outlining the exemption process for Ukrainians said.

For most newly arriving Ukrainians, this means they would be allowed to stay for at least a year under a provision called “humanitarian parole” and wouldn’t have to apply for asylum or other protections during that time. On Thursday, in Poland, President Biden announced plans to accept up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees. It is unclear when they might start arriving in the U.S.

Things are less clear for Russians. In recent months, thousands of Russians seem to have been allowed to ask for asylum and given court dates to begin asylum proceedings. But in recent days, growing numbers have been turned back and told to wait in Mexico, according to immigration advocates, migrants and others.

 

Anastasiia Davidson, a 19-year-old hookah-bar barista from Kharkiv whose husband is an American, said she and her family debated where she should go in the lead-up to the war, choosing between Canada and Mexico. They settled on Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, a beach resort she had visited in early February. She decided to meet up with her husband at the border in Tijuana on Sunday, after the memo authorizing exemptions for Ukrainians was issued.
Ben Davidson, her husband, said the plan was always for Anastasiia to join him in San Francisco—they have already applied for a visa—but the war sped up the process.
“She was going to wait out the U.S. immigration system in Ukraine, but now she has no home to go back to,” Mr. Davidson said. “We were planning on her going to Canada, but it looks like she’s going to be able to come in.”
Ms. Davidson said the rest of her family has stayed in Ukraine. “My house already was bombed. My grandmother’s house was already bombed,” she said, adding that her uncle was killed on the second day of the war. “Every day it’s like a nightmare.”
Ms. Davidson and her husband flew home to San Francisco Sunday afternoon.

[Lonny&Kris 16]

Thanks for sharing this. Have been seriously considering going to Mexico as an option. Still worried about how that process may look and whether the border agents would grant asylum to my fiance. But it helps to see people in a similar situation were granted asylum. Not sure if actually being married first would make a difference but also considering that as well.  

[Boiler 45,733]

You will see mention of 30 minutes in Secondary and then being Paroled in for a year, which is probably enough for most people.

 

Now there is no reason for processing to take 18 months and there has been mention of DCF being available which would bring processing down to maybe 4 or 5 months. I say maybe as it very much depends on how resources are allocated. 

 

It does seem a much more logical route than say Humanitarian Parole.

 

I can see friction in Mexico when there are so many waiting and Ukrainians being give a pass.

 

 

[Lonny&Kris 16]

No decisions have been made yet but we do seem to be leaning towards flying to Mexico and trying to enter the u.s that way. We're discussing with our loved ones the logistics of it all and are also waiting to hear back from an attorney. I don't want our case to be negatively affected by this decision if we were to make it. Will post any updates on our situation here. For now, we are waiting for USCIS to hopefully reach a decision on whether or not to expedite our case after our senators office has reached out to USCIS twice. 

[Ray & Julia 13]

Same for us. If we aren't giving any updates on the case by the end of next week, I'm leaning towards flying to Mexico, cross the border together and apply for Humanitarian parole. Once in the US, get married and submit i-485..

[millefleur 5,047]

1 hour ago, Lonny&Kris said:

Still worried about how that process may look and whether the border agents would grant asylum to my fiance.

I'm not sure there's much of a process to be honest. It sounds to me like just show up at the border and talk to CBP about your situation. Go through secondary like Boiler mentioned. My concern is, how do you even get to the CBP officers on the border? Won't there be a huge queue? How do they decide who gets to the front of the queue or not? It just sounds hectic. I wish we had better info on how it all works.

 

@Lonny&Kris @Ray & Julia The DCF option is this: if you (the USC) are in a foreign country right now with your Ukrainian spouse (you must be married) and you haven't filed the I-130 yet, then you can contact the nearest US embassy and try to file the I-130 directly. DCF proccessing skips NVC entirely, so the whole thing can be done in a matter of months. You just have to be married first and the USC has to be abroad.

[Ray & Julia 13]

6 minutes ago, millefleur said:

I'm not sure there's much of a process to be honest. It sounds to me like just show up at the border and talk to CBP about your situation. Go through secondary like Boiler mentioned. My concern is, how do you even get to the CBP officers on the border? Won't there be a huge queue? How do they decide who gets to the front of the queue or not? It just sounds hectic. I wish we had better info on how it all works.

 

@Lonny&Kris @Ray & Julia The DCF option is this: if you (the USC) are in a foreign country right now with your Ukrainian spouse (you must be married) and you haven't filed the I-130 yet, then you can contact the nearest US embassy and try to file the I-130 directly. DCF proccessing skips NVC entirely, so the whole thing can be done in a matter of months. You just have to be married first and the USC has to be abroad.

We are approved for expedited 129-f, but then again no news since March 2nd about the approval of the case. Then, as i understood, we will have to wait NVC ( should be expedited) and Frankfurt to schedule an interview. 

I'm wondering how long it takes for DCF if we get married, let's say, tomorrow vs waiting for our 129f. Also DCF is much better as my fiancee will get her greencard right away. Ehh, i wish there was a better process and explanation. Thank you for the thread, it really helps to get pieces of information together! 

[Boiler 45,733]

DCF has been 3 or 4 months

 

May become longer with more applicants who knows

 

With the Mexican border you just walk or drive up and show your passport

 

 

[Lonny&Kris 16]

12 minutes ago, Boiler said:

DCF has been 3 or 4 months

 

May become longer with more applicants who knows

 

With the Mexican border you just walk or drive up and show your passport

 

 

My other concerns are about getting to the border and being safe while waiting. I don't want to assume the worse but I know there are issues with human trafficking and other things of that nature. Those people involved with that tend to be opportunistic, and could see this as an opportunity. I am willing to spend the money on flights regardless of whether we are allowed to cross or not, but I also want to be as safe as possible doing so. I wish there was more information and support regarding this, as I'm sure everyone else in a similar situation feels the same. Really leaning towards trying to go through Mexico but will take a little time to figure out more details. Want to say thanks again for everyone contributing to this discussion.

[millefleur 5,047]

1 minute ago, Lonny&Kris said:

My other concerns are about getting to the border and being safe while waiting. I don't want to assume the worse but I know there are issues with human trafficking and other things of that nature. Those people involved with that tend to be opportunistic, and could see this as an opportunity.

Same here, I would not be excited about a trip to the Mexican border....not to mention, there's probably theft/violence around there, lots of angry people who've been waiting for months to be let in. I imagine the whole place is really chaotic right now, hence why you don't see a lot of video footage of what is going on down there.

 

If you're able to stay at a safe place in Mexico and then take a trip up to the border and try, could be worth it. If you're together it offers some protection.

[TBoneTX 45,598]

Some crossings are safer than others.  Some have far more CBP personnel available than do others.  Some will have CBP officers standing right at the international boundary to pre-screen pedestrians.

 

In general, in Mexican border towns, you're safe if you stay on the main tourist streets in daylight; just exercise prudent awareness.

 

Perhaps try to get a letter from a U.S. Senator or Congressman.  Even better, phone a CBP port (or two), ask for the shift supervisor, and learn the official policy.

https://www.cbp.gov/contact/ports

Edited March 25, 2022 by TBoneTX

[TBoneTX 45,598]

Just added link above for list of ports.  It might be best to phone after 7 p.m. their time and before they close; that way, the rush of gringos re-entering the U.S. will have diminished, and it's a quieter time.

 

When phoning CBP, be sure to ask which ports are equipped to admit Ukrainians!

 

Also, it's good public relations (and highly appropriate) to begin your call with the supervisor with some statement like, "Sir/ma'am, I'm a USC who knows what kind of hell y'all have been going through, and I wanted to call you with a question rather than potentially adding to your stress."

 

By the way, if Mike Perez is still the Port Director at Del Rio (Texas), you might be able to speak directly with him -- it's been years, but when I called there with questions, I was connected with him promptly.  (Del Rio is across from Ciudad Acuña, and they had the zillions of Haitians that made the national news.)

[millefleur 5,047]

The plot thickens...

The US Admitted a Group of Russians at the Border Under Secret Deal With Mexico

TIJUANA, Mexico — A group of Russian citizens who fled their country after the invasion of Ukraine and spent a week camped out at the U.S.-Mexico border was quietly admitted to the U.S. in a secret deal with Mexican officials, VICE World News has learned. 

The group of 35 asylum seekers was whisked away in the predawn hours of March 20 and driven to a part of the border where they wouldn’t be seen: a checkpoint that has been closed to the public for several months. 

 

There, under cover of night, Mexican immigration officers handed the Russians over to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. 

Two days before, the Russians had received an offer from a Russian-speaking man who introduced himself as an American diplomat: They would be taken across the border, but only if they broke up their growing encampment on the busy pedestrian crossing between Tijuana and San Diego.

 

Read more here: https://www.vice.com/en/article/3abejb/the-us-admitted-a-group-of-russians-at-the-border-under-secret-deal-with-mexico

[millefleur 5,047]

Another article:

Activists and authorities prepare as Ukrainians and Russians arrive in the U.S. through Mexico

U.S. and Mexico immigration officials are seeing an increase in the number of Ukrainians and Russians attempting to cross the U.S. border, where they can request asylum.

The number of migrants arriving in Mexico from those two countries accelerated in the months before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and many are now waiting for opportunities to enter the U.S., mostly in and around Tijuana on Mexico’s West Coast.

 

There have been no reports yet of high numbers of Ukrainians or Russians fleeing the war or repression in the Russian Federation arriving along the Texas border, and any influx would be relatively minor compared to the thousands of migrants arriving daily from Mexico and Central America.

In 2020, 30,660 migrants from Russia arrived in Mexico; in 2021, the figure was 75,446.

 

Read more here: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/immigration/2022/03/29/activists-and-authorities-prepare-as-ukrainians-and-russians-arrive-in-the-us-through-mexico/

Edited March 30, 2022 by millefleur

[millefleur 5,047]

Looks like Title 42 might be coming to an end in May: