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In addition to new sanctions against Russia announced yesterday, Joe Biden said any Russian-affiliated ships are now banned from entering American ports.
JUST IN: U.S. is banning Russian-affiliated ships from American ports “to further deny Russia the benefits of the international economic system”: President Biden
— Jack Detsch (@JackDetsch) April 21, 2022
Biden announces expedited humanitarian immigration program for Ukrainian refugees
Joe Biden announced the creation of “Unite for Ukraine,” a humanitarian parole program that will expedite the migration process from Europe to the US for Ukrainian refugees.
Biden has promised that the US will take 100,000 Ukrainian refugees.
How does it work?
Starting 4/25 (when portal goes live): US sponsors directly upload an affidavit to sponsor a specific Ukrainian person/family. Sponsor must pass background checks, vetting to prove they can financially support Ukrainians, etc — could all happen within a week— amna (@IAmAmnaNawaz) April 21, 2022
Then: Ukrainian person/family gets notified sponsor is approved. Background checks/vetting begin on *that* end. To be eligible: must have a US sponsor, must pass biometric screening, must be vaccinated.
— amna (@IAmAmnaNawaz) April 21, 2022
Once vetting on both sides complete, sponsored Ukrainians granted travel authorization to US, humanitarian parole protection for two years.
US officials envision this program will comprise “the majority of the 100,000 people” President Biden committed to bring to the US.
— amna (@IAmAmnaNawaz) April 21, 2022
“This new humanitarian parole program will complement the existing legal pathways available to Ukrainians including immigrant visas and refugee processing,” Biden said. “It will provide an expedient channel for secure legal migration from Europe to the United States for Ukrainians who have a US sponsor such as a family or an NGO. This program will be fast, it will be streamlined and it will ensure the United States will honor its commitment to the people of Ukraine and need not go through our southern border.”
Biden has nearly exhausted drawdown authority for Ukraine spending
Joe Biden acknowledged today that with the latest $800m military assistance package to Ukraine, he has “almost exhausted the drawdown authority” authorized by Congress in a bipartisan spending bill last month.
“In order to sustain Ukraine for the duration of this fight, next week I will have to send to Congress a supplemental budget request to keep weapons and ammunition flowing without interruption, to continue delivering economic assistance to the Ukrainian people,” Biden said. “My expectation is that Congress will act and move quickly.”
He said this continued support of Ukraine is necessary in sending a message to Vladimir Putin.
“Our unity at home, our unity with our allies and partners, our unity with the Ukrainian people is sending an unmistakable message to Putin: He will never succeed in dominating and occupying al of Ukraine,” Biden said. “That will not happen.”
In addition to military assistance, the US is also sending $500m in economic assistance to Ukraine, bringing the total economic assistance sent to Ukraine in the last two months to $1bn.
Joe Biden spoke of everything the US has provided Ukraine in the past two months, a “record speed”: “We have sent thousands of anti-armor and anti-missile helicopters, drones, grenade launchers, machine guns, rifles, radar systems,” he said. “More than 50m rounds of ammunition has already been sent.”
“We are not sitting on the funding that Congress has provided for Ukraine,” Biden said. “We are sending it directly to the front lines of freedom, to the fearless and skilled Ukrainian fighters.”
He said he was amazed “at the courage of this country, at the resolve that they are showing.” “Not just their military but their average citizen, men and women, young men, young women as well,” he said.
“The sustained and coordinated support of the international community, led and facilitate by the United States, is a significant reason why Ukraine is able to stop Russia from taking over its country thus far,” Biden said. “Every American taxpayer, every member of our armed forces, can be proud of the fact that our country’s generosity and the skill and service of our military helped arm and repel Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and beat back Putin’s savagery that tried to seize Ukraine’s capital and wipe out Ukraine’s government.”
Biden announces another $800m military assistance package to Ukraine
Joe Biden took to the podium today to announce that the US will provide another $800m military assistance package to Ukraine to “to further augment Ukraine’s ability to fight in the east, in the Donbas region.”
“We’re in a critical window of time now where (Russian forces are) going to set the stage for the next phase of this war,” Biden said. “The United States and our partners and allies are moving as fast as possible to continue to provide Ukraine with the equipment it needs, its forces need, to defend its nation.”
This package will be in addition to the $800m package announced last week by Biden. This package will include “heavy artillery weapons, dozens of Howitzers and 144,000 rounds of ammunition to go with those Howitzers,” Biden said. “It also includes more tactical drones.”
It looks like we have a lot of Ukraine news coming out of the US this morning. In addition to speaking about providing more military assistance, it appears Joe Biden will be speaking momentarily about at new program that will allow US citizens to directly sponsor the immigration of displaced Ukrainian refugees in Europe, to speed up the travel process.
NEW: President Biden will today announce a new program for US citizens to directly sponsor displaced Ukrainians in Europe, and quickly approve travel to the US
More from senior officials this morning 👇🏾
— amna (@IAmAmnaNawaz) April 21, 2022
The program is called “Uniting for Ukraine,” part of Biden’s commitment to welcome up to 100k Ukrainians into the US. Officials say it’s an “expression of solidarity with displaced Ukrainians and a “clear signal of support” for European nations hosting historic number of refugees
— amna (@IAmAmnaNawaz) April 21, 2022
How does it work?
Starting 4/25 (when portal goes live): US sponsors directly upload an affidavit to sponsor a specific Ukrainian person/family. Sponsor must pass background checks, vetting to prove they can financially support Ukrainians, etc — could all happen within a week— amna (@IAmAmnaNawaz) April 21, 2022
Then: Ukrainian person/family gets notified sponsor is approved. Background checks/vetting begin on *that* end. To be eligible: must have a US sponsor, must pass biometric screening, must be vaccinated.
— amna (@IAmAmnaNawaz) April 21, 2022
Once vetting on both sides complete, sponsored Ukrainians granted travel authorization to US, humanitarian parole protection for two years.
US officials envision this program will comprise “the majority of the 100,000 people” President Biden committed to bring to the US.
— amna (@IAmAmnaNawaz) April 21, 2022
What about Ukrainians at the border?
US has already allowed in around 15,000 who came to Mexico seeking US entry. Senior DHS official says *beginning 4/25* – once this program is live – Ukrainians at the southern border will be subject to same Title 42 expulsion as anyone else.
— amna (@IAmAmnaNawaz) April 21, 2022
I asked if any talk of expanding program to other refugees in Europe- Syria, Afghanistan,etc
Snr official says no. “this [Ukrainian] population is really unique” – most requests for refuge “temporary in nature” – diff from others who fled + been living in 3rd countries for yrs.
— amna (@IAmAmnaNawaz) April 21, 2022
Ukraine prime minister Denys Shmyhal is in Washington today. As we reported yesterday, he will be meeting with House speaker Nancy Pelosi and other bipartisan congressional leaders later, but it appears he will also be meeting with defense secretary Lloyd Austin:
Ukraine’s prime minister will be at the Pentagon later today for a meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Austin.
— Idrees Ali (@idreesali114) April 21, 2022
Biden to provide an update on Ukraine and Russia
Howdy, live blog readers. Let’s get to it.
Joe Biden is scheduled to take to the podium today at the White House at 9.45am ET to provide an update on Ukraine and Russia.
An anonymous official told the Associated Press that Biden is planning to detail his plans to build on the roughly $2.6bn in military assistance that his administration has already approved for Ukraine.
This new package should be similar in size to the $800m package that Biden announced last week, and will include much needed heavy artillery and ammunition for Ukrainian forces in the escalating battle for the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine.
Yesterday, the White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, told reporters that five flights with military assistance have arrived in the region over the last few days, with more than half a dozen flights from the US scheduled to arrive shortly with even more equipment.
Biden yesterday lauded military officials for “exceptional” work arming Ukraine as he gathered the nation’s military brass for their first in-person group meeting at the White House of his presidency.
“I don’t know about you, but I’ve been to Ukraine a number of times before the war … and I knew they were tough and proud but I tell you what: they’re tougher and more proud than I thought,” Biden told military commanders. “I’m amazed at what they’re doing with your help.”
More to come.
After we closed the blog down yesterday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asked the justice department to file an an appeal seeking to overturn a judge’s order that voided the federal mask mandate on planes and trains and in travel hubs.
Biden administration officials had said they were awaiting the guidance of health officials before determining whether to file an appeal of the ruling made by Florida district court judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle, the youngest Donald Trump appointee to the federal bench, and minutes after the CDC asked, notice of appeal was filed in federal court in Tampa.
As you can imagine with this highly politicized ruling, reaction to the appeal was staunchly bipartisan, with conservatives rallying against the appeal and Democrats supporting it.
Biden’s Justice Department (his thugs) want to appeal the removal of their unconstitutional travel mask mandate.
LOL.
The regime hates freedom and you will continue to suffer while they are in office. https://t.co/2hIQjVu1fu
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) April 20, 2022
The Biden Administration will appeal the ruling that lifted the COVID mask mandate on travel.
If it were up to them, they’d keep masks on Americans and their children indefinitely!
— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) April 20, 2022
A DOJ appeal makes good sense. All but the most ideology-driven panel would reverse the clearly erroneous district court decision, and the case won’t be legally moot even if CDC temporarily lifts its mask mandate in early May because the need could recur. https://t.co/QXVb0r87LS
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) April 21, 2022
More to come.
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