Blumenthal, Murkowski, Coons, & Cassidy Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect Ukrainians Seeking Safety in the U.S.

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) introduced legislation today to protect Ukrainian nationals who have sought refuge in the United States following Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression in their home country. The bipartisan bill would extend immigration protections for Ukrainians who have fled the war brought on by the Russian invasion and sought safety in the United States through the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program, which has for decades provided refuge to those living in America who have fled natural disasters, violence, and political insecurity. The current TPS designation for Ukraine will expire on October 19, 2026 unless further action is taken. “Ukrainians seeking safety here are fleeing unimaginable horror at home – bloody missile and drone strikes, ruthless kidnapping of children, a cold winter without heat. Forcing their return to such cruel conditions would be the height of inhumanity,” Blumenthal said. “I am grateful to Senators Murkowski, Coons, and Cassidy for joining me in introducing legislation that will protect Ukrainians seeking refuge from being sent back to certain brutality and bloodshed.” “I have spent time with many Ukrainians who found refuge in Alaska after fleeing Russia’s brutal invasion. They have become part of our communities sending their children to our schools, participating in the local workforce, and re-building their lives while the war continues to devastate their home country,” said Murkowski. “My office has worked with many of these families as they navigate our immigration system, and the reality is that it is simply not safe for them to return to Ukraine. We should not force Ukrainians who we allowed into the U.S. and who are here legally and contributing to our communities back into an active war zone. This legislation will provide them with the stability and protection they need to continue to live and work here until it is safe to return home.” “The Ukrainian people are on the frontlines of freedom, fighting for their democracy and their future,” said Coons. “We should support them however we can, including by extending protections for Ukrainians who have sought safety in the United States while fleeing Putin’s illegal and unjustified war of aggression. It is unconscionable that we would send them back to the horrors they could face at home, especially with winter around the corner. I am grateful to join my colleagues in providing stability and protection to Ukrainians at this critical moment.” TPS is a temporary, legal immigration status granted to foreign citizens who are unable to return safely to their home country due to natural disasters, armed conflicts, or other extraordinary conditions. All TPS recipients have passed a thorough background check. TPS was extended to Ukrainian nationals in April 2022 due to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces. In February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launching missiles against military and civilian targets across the country as troops pushed to overtake major cities. Although Ukrainian forces successfully blocked the attempted invasion of Kyiv and have since liberated significant territory throughout the country, Russian offensives continue to target Ukrainian communities and claim thousands of casualties. Since the invasion, tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians have died and hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian forces have been killed. Russia has also engaged in a campaign of abduction and forcible removal of Ukrainian children, seeking to erase the children’s Ukrainian names, language and identity, and exposing them to human trafficking and exploitation, child labor, sexual violence, hunger, injury, trauma and death. -30-