On June 16th, we welcomed our first Ukrainian walk-ins: a young woman and her 7-year-old daughter. The process by which we welcome refugees from Ukraine will differ from the “normal” process.
Long story short: a displaced person is granted the title of “refugee” by the UN and put on a waitlist until they are eventually assigned to a country of welcome. If they’re placed in the US, they are funneled to 1 of 9 federal resettlement agencies that then assign them to a local resettlement agency partner (i.e., Della Lamb). We typically have 2 weeks’ notice of arrival and are provided their family size, language, ages, and genders so we can prepare for them.
Alla and her daughter didn’t come to us through the UN. They came here from Mexico.
On March 7th, Alla and her 7-year-old (we will call her “Alona”) left their home in Chernivtsi, leaving behind Alla’s mother, who did not want to leave her home. The air raid sirens were incessant, and they were sleeping in the hallway of their building to stay away from windows. Sirens blared for 12 days and Alla couldn’t stand the fear in her daughter’s eyes as the explosions moved closer and closer. They had to leave.
They were among the hundreds of thousands to cross the Romanian border. Alla and Alona waited 32 hours in the rain and snow to cross. There were no restrooms or housing, but the Romanian people walked up and down the queue and provided the Ukrainians with more food or water than they could consume. It was a warm and friendly welcome to safety.
From there, the mom and daughter found a bus to Italy where a friend was offering a place to stay. Alla and Alona spent 2 weeks in her spare bedroom until her friend’s family was able to escape Ukraine and move in with her. Alla and Alona then traveled to Poland where they spent another 2 weeks until they heard about the US’ humanitarian parole program from her sister, Natalia, who lives in Liberty, MO. They immediately flew from Poland to Mexico City and finally landed in Tijuana.
Thousands of others also went to Tijuana. When they arrived, they were asked to “check in” through an app that basically saved their spot in the border-crossing line because the influx was so great. Alla was number 3,905th in line upon arrival. Natalia and her husband met Alla and Alona in Tijuana where they were able to find a hotel, though most Ukrainians were residing in a refugee camp nearby.
After 3 days, Alla’s number was called at night, and she and her daughter couldn’t risk going outside in Tijuana in the dark, so they went in for their interview first thing in the morning.
During this interview, she knew it was key to request “humanitarian parole” and she practiced doing so. Many Ukrainians were temporarily detained if they answered questions wrong or didn’t request the right status. Alla was terrified she would say the wrong thing or not be accepted or somehow be separated from her daughter. She couldn’t communicate with her sister while in the center, but they were able to share their location on their phones. Natalia waited anxiously as she watched her sister’s location remain motionless, if it didn’t move south, it’d be okay. Alla and Alona were the first to get on the bus to America that morning.
There was an old crossing in Tijuana that had been closed for decades but was reopened specifically for the Ukrainians. Natalia and her husband had to travel through the separate US resident entrance on the other side of town, all while watching Alla’s tracking dot move north, as well.
They reunited in San Diego and the 4 started their trek back to Liberty. 2 weeks later, the United for Ukraine program was announced, and the Tijuana border entry was closed.
Alla did share that the refugee camp in Tijuana was quite nice. It was housed in a community center with a park. The volunteers working in this camp were mostly Russian and Ukrainian U.S. citizens from a church in San Diego and they continued to help everyone in the refugee camp with paperwork and the United for Ukraine application process even after the crossing closed.
Immediately upon arriving in Liberty, Alona started school (there were only 3 weeks left) so she could meet friends and is doing summer school to improve her English before the school year starts. Alla and Alona will have a lot to work through, but their incredibly supportive family, and a welcoming Kansas City, will be there for them. We are so lucky to have them here.
These 2 are just the first to walk through the doors at Della. Our housing coordinator is from Tajikistan and of Ukrainian and Russian descent, so she is ready to greet Ukrainians in a familiar language. Case managers are preparing documents for different support programs. And Kansas City will continue to welcome refugees to their new home. Because of your support and partnerships, we’re able to do this work. Thank you.
Today is World Refugee Day. Celebrate by trying a new cuisine. Educate yourself on current crises. Learn how you can help our new neighbors.
Ukrainian refugee resettlement looks very different because agencies are typically not assigned these refugee cases. As of April 25th, Ukrainians can apply to come here through the Uniting for Ukraine program, but it requires support from a US citizen. Once here, local resettlement agencies are able and ready to help. While they don’t qualify for all services and support, they do qualify for some, which is why it’s important to still connect with a resettlement agency. If you or anyone you know is sponsoring Ukrainians, please contact us at help@dellalamb.org.
