Is The War in Ukraine Exposing Racial Disparities in Refugee Treatment?

4/20/22

I believe that we can all agree that the situation in Ukraine is in dire need and it is a situation that is both unfortunate and heartbreaking. What is currently occuring to the people in Ukraine is a human rights violation. As of March 2022, the U.S. has announced that it will accept up to 100,000 refugees to settle in the U.S. The U.S. has also announced on April 21st, a new program to assist Ukrainian refugees. This program will launch April 25th. Beginning April 25th, the Biden Administration states that U.S.-based individuals and entities can apply to the Department of Homeland Security to sponsor Ukrainian citizens. President Biden has also announced on 4/21/2022 a new $800 million round of security assistance for Ukraine the round of assistance includes heavy weaponry and tactical drones. Upon noticing how quickly the U.S was to admit Ukrainian refugees assistence versus other marginalized groups who happen to be people of color the question of implicit race bias comes to play when it comes to assistance refugees of color compared to refugees who are white. African refugees as well as other refugees of color have stated that the U.S.'s recent decision in to grant refugee and humanitarian status to Ukranians fleeing war a highlight of the racial bias present in America's immigration policy. As the U.S prepares to welcome tens of thousands of Ukranian refugees fleeing war, the nation continues to deport numbers of African and Carribbean refugees back to their homelands where they have faced rape, torture, arbitrary arrest and other human rights abuses. More than 20,000 Haitians have been deported despite the continued instability of the assassination of the country's president as well as a powerful earthquake this summer. As refugees from African countries are applying for asylum many are being turned away, denied, or simply deported. As a result of this it leads to the question: would the world have cared more about their suffering if they were white? Do racial disparities amongst refugees of color versus those who are not white exist? This may seem like a controversial statement but the truth of the matter is that all human lives are important and every human being should have the right to live a life of stability. Being of Middle Eastern descent and having parents who fled from war, I understand all too well the struggle of seeking refuge and not feeling safe in your own land. I believe no child should wake up to the sounds of bombs or violence and that all children across the world and human beings deserve to live in peace.