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Onondaga County, Syracuse ‘ready, willing and able’ to welcome Ukrainian refugees

Meghan Hendricks | Photo Editor

Syracuse and Onondaga County have historically served as a safe haven for refugees all across the world, McMahon and Walsh said.

By Francis TangSenior Staff Writer

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UPDATED: March 7, 2022 at 7:45 p.m.

Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon and Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh issued a letter Wednesday, stating Onondaga County and the city of Syracuse are “ready, willing and able” to assist Ukrainian refugees resettling in central New York.

The letter, addressed to President Joe Biden, condemned Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine. McMahon and Walsh said in the letter that the county and the city stand with the U.S. and the global community during this crisis and human suffering.

On Feb. 22 in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of eastern Ukraine after Russia officially recognized the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics — two self-proclaimed states controlled by pro-Russian forces in the Donbas region of Ukraine.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order on Feb. 27 directing all state agencies and authorities to divest public funds from Russia. Hundreds of Syracuse community members gathered at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church on the same day to stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

SU Chancellor Kent Syverud sent a campus-wide email on Feb. 25 condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He also said during the University Senate meeting on Feb. 23 that the conflict may be a potential challenge for the university community given the large Ukrainian and Russian population at SU, as well as the high percentage of students, faculty and staff currently on active duty in military, guards and reserves.

In the letter, McMahon and Walsh said that Syracuse and Onondaga County have historically served as a safe haven for refugees all across the world, and they added that the Ukrainian community is strong within the area. This makes central New York an ideal location for Ukrainian citizens looking to find short-term shelter until they can return to their homes, or even settle down permanently to be free from unjustified violence and war, the letter said.

Out of a total of 900 Refugee and Special Immigrant Visa holders who resettled in New York state in the federal fiscal year 2021, 201 came to Onondaga County, according to the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.

The county and city will work with the state government and refugee resettlement partners at Interfaith Works CNY and Catholic Charities of Onondaga County to prepare the community to welcome Ukrainian refugees, the letter stated.

“Central New York stands ready as a partner to bring as many of our Ukrainian allies out of harm’s way as possible, welcoming refugees into a diverse and caring community in America,” the letter reads.

Beth Broadway, the president and CEO of Interfaith Works, said in a press release Thursday that the organization is waiting for confirmation on whether President Biden would grant a special status in consultation with Congress that would allow Ukrainian refugees to arrive in the U.S. more quickly.

Most refugees who decide that they cannot go home will likely come under protection of the United Nations, where they will be vetted for two or more years before they could be approved to resettle in the U.S., according to the release. Once they are approved, there will be an additional multi-step vetting process involving many U.S. federal agencies.

“InterFaith Works is monitoring developments carefully and stands ready to welcome refugees from Ukraine and other places where people have suffered from war, terrorism, ethnic cleansing, and environmental devastation, as we have done for the last 40 years,” the release said.

This post has been updated with additional information.

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