As the war in Ukraine has been going on for more than 2 and a half years, questions from a year ago -about whether hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians in the US are receiving government benefits – are starting to pop back up again.
In April 2022, the Biden-Harris administration committed itself to welcoming 100,000 Ukrainian citizens and others fleeing the war into the country – but were those that came getting social security benefits.
According to Immigration Lawyer Charles Kuck the answer is yes,
“They’re eligible for food stamps, they’re eligible for Supplemental Security SSI, they’re eligible for insurance, Medicare. “They’re not lifetime on the taxpayer dole,” said Kruk. “This is basically helping refugees who couldn’t help themselves. They’re making sure their kids don’t starve to death.” The Social Security Administration confirms they are eligible for Social Security benefits, and The Office of Refugee Resettlement confirms they are also eligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Healthcare through Medicaid, and SNAP benefits.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, more than 236,000 Ukrainians applied to enter the country through the Uniting for Ukraine program, As of the end of March, more than 187,000 had arrived. Another 350,000 Ukrainians came into the country outside of the program – mainly through temporary visas – since 2022.