US immigration officials detain more than 5,000 migrants from Ukraine in March

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U.S. Customs and Border Protection detained more than 5,000 Ukrainians at U.S. land, sea and air borders in March, according to new data released Monday.

CBP reported a total of 5,071 Ukrainians detained last month. That represents a significant increase from the 1,146 who were detained in February. CBP detained most of the Ukrainians at the U.S.-Mexico border. The data shows that a total of 3,274 were detained at the southwest border, another major increase from the just 272 Ukrainians who were detained there in February.

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Volunteers set up a makeshift camp along the southwest border in Tijuana, Mexico, for Ukrainian refugees who are attempting to cross into the U.S.  (Fox News/Alona Bastys)

The Department of Homeland Security announced Monday that the Biden administration is extending temporary protected status for Ukrainians for another 18 months. DHS said the designation will allow eligible Ukrainians to stay in the U.S. and apply for employment authorization.

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Refugees walk after fleeing the war from neighboring Ukraine at the border crossing in Medyka, southeastern Poland, on Friday. (AP/Sergei Grits)

President Biden has previously said the U.S. will welcome up to 100,000 Ukrainians and others fleeing the war with Russia. 

People from Mariupol and surroundings in eastern Ukraine, leave a train to be taken to temporary residences in Nizhny Novgorod region, at the railway station in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, Thursday, April 7, 2022. About 500 refugees from Mariupol arrived Thursday in Nizhny Novgorod by a special train from eastern Ukraine.  ((AP Photo))

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The United Nations reports that more than 4.9 million people have fled Ukraine since the war began on February 24. Most of the Ukrainians have sought refuge in neighboring countries including Poland, Romania, Hungary and Moldova. The vast majority, nearly 2.8 million Ukrainian refugees, have sought safety in Poland.