The extension is for certain Ukrainian nationals and their immediate family members who had permission to enter the U.S. prior to the Uniting for Ukraine program. 

"For this earliest-arrived group of Ukrainians, the continued legal right to live, work, and access resettlement assistance in the U.S. is absolutely crucial to their well-being," said Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, head of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. 

She also called on the administration to not wait until deadlines are on the brink of expiring to extend "critical humanitarian protections," while also alluding to the need for Afghans to have the same safeguards.  

Camilo Montoya-Galvez of CBS News has more on the story. And here is our take on why Congress and the Biden administration must step in to offer permanence to resettled Ukrainians and Afghans. 

Welcome to Tuesday’s edition of The Forum Daily. I’m Clara Villatoro, the Forum’s strategic communications manager, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Dynahlee Padilla-Vasquez and Katie Lutz. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at [email protected]. 

BIRD’S-EYE VIEW — For The New York Times, Eileen Sullivan and Steve Fisher give a good overview of the impacts of the Biden administration’s recent immigration policies. "Immigration advocates criticize the policies for trying to manage immediate problems rather than seeking broader changes. But the policies have achieved the administration’s goal of bringing down the number of border crossings," they write. Our polling published last week underscores that strong majorities still want border and immigration reforms. And, equally important, that Americans value offering refuge. 

TEXAS BORDER BILL — Texas Republicans have unveiled a series of border security and anti-immigration proposals, including House Bill 20 legislation, reports Julián Aguilar of The Texas Newsroom. If passed, it would create a new state law enforcement subdivision dubbed the Border Protection Unit, which would have "broad powers of enforcement," Aguilar notes. 

THE ZALDIVAR’S WIN — After 16 years met with inefficiencies, administrative errors, deportation and separation from his family, Colorado community member Jorge Zaldivar Mendieta has finally won his immigration case, reports Saja Hindi of  The Denver Post. Now he is a permanent legal resident of the U.S. "I am hopeful that people have understood that immigrants come here to work and be part of their family and that we are here because we’re contributing," he said. "So we need to support a path to legalization including DACA." 

HUMANE EFFORTS — Reverend Juan Carlos Ruiz, pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, talks with Michel Martin of NPR on the efforts to support the thousands of migrants that have been bused to New York City. In addition to providing them phones and metro cards, "we have the abuelitas, you know, the grandmothers in our communities basically cooking for them and being family to them — anything that humanizes because we have to remember this is a humanitarian crisis," he said. Take five minutes to listen to their conversation. 

Thanks for reading,  

Clara