Almost 6,000 Ukrainians approved for temporary resettlement in U.S.

The Department of Homeland Security has approved nearly 6,000 Ukrainians to enter the United States as part of the Uniting for Ukraine program.

The Uniting for Ukraine online portal was launched on April 25 as part of the Biden administration's plan to get up to 100,000 Ukrainians temporarily settled in the U.S. amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Before the program began, many Ukrainians were traveling to Mexico on tourist visas and then crossing the southern border into the United States.

To be approved, a Ukrainian migrant must be sponsored by someone who legally lives in the U.S. and agrees to financially support them. All parties are vetted before approval, with the Ukrainian migrant going through biographic and biometric screening. In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said the vetting process is able to identify and screen out individuals "who may pose a threat to the American public," protects against "exploitation and abuse," and ensures that "supporters are able to financially provide for the individuals they have agreed to help."

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More than 19,000 applications have been submitted from sponsors looking to help Ukrainians, with some signing up to help entire families, the Department of Homeland Security said.