The US Conference of Catholic Bishops has welcomed Uniting for Ukraine, a Biden administration initiative that will allow up to 100,000 Ukrainians to enter the United States, but called on the administration and Congress to do more.

“The program relies heavily on humanitarian parole, a mechanism in US immigration law that grants individuals authorization to enter the United States for a temporary period of time,” the USCCB explained. “While parole provides eligibility for work authorization, it does not authorize recipients to receive the same services and benefits provided to refugees resettled through the US Refugee Admissions Program, nor does parole provide a pathway to permanent legal status in the United States.”