ASYLUM INTERNATIONAL

JANUARY 16, 2024

PRESS RELEASE

One of the quickest, easiest, and most cost effective ways of helping Ukraine is to help Russian soldiers or those likely to be forced into the Russian army to defect to the United States.  President Biden has the authority, with the stroke of a pen, to grant Temporary Protected Status to Russian defectors and Asylum International, along with other humanitarian organizations, is calling upon him to do so. While the congress continues to debate aid for Ukraine, the President can act on his own and a million messages from us will encourage him to take that action..

A sample letter is attached below,  It does not need to be copied exactly, or even closely, it only needs to ask for "Temporary Protected Status" for Russian defectors. 

Dear Mr. President,

In response to the illegal and unwarranted invasion of Ukraine by military forces of the Russian Federation, I am requesting that you grant Temporary Protected Status to Russian defectors who are fleeing to other countries rather than fight for Vladimir Putin.  Over 200,000 Russians have already died in the war and nearly 250,000 Russians have been wounded.  Death and injury inflicted on tens of thousands of innocent Ukrainians compound the war crimes committed by Vladimir Putin, making him a fugitive from the International Criminal Court.  

For its part in the defense of freedom and international security, the United States has committed tens of billions of dollars to help the Ukrainians drive the Russians out of their country.  Anecdotal evidence shows that most Russian soldiers do not want to be in Ukraine, but they are threatened with imprisonment or even execution if they refuse to follow orders.  Death and injury inflicted on both sides is a human tragedy not seen in Europe since 1945, a tragedy that no one thought would ever happen again.

As it was in the last World War, the United States is faced with a painful dilemma; step back and allow a ruthless dictator to conquer neighboring countries that are smaller and weaker than his own and wait for the inevitable outcome or step up now and stop the carnage before it reaches our own shores.  History has proven, time and again, that dictators like Vladimir Putin will never stop until they are met with superior force. 

The Ukrainians have been amazingly successful in stopping the Russian invasion and they have made progress in driving them lack to their own country.  It has been a very costly process for the Ukrainians, but they have been and still are willing to pay the price.  The process has been expensive for us as well and it makes good sense for us to find more cost-effective ways of helping Ukraine.

One way that we can help is by diverting Russian soldiers from the battlefield.  If we can interdict the supply of soldiers into the Russian army, we can save lives on both sides of the conflict and speed the day when Vladimir Putin is removed from power.  That day will most certainly come but two questions remain, how long will it take and how many more lives will be lost until then.

The Russian Federation is already suffering the loss of well-educated and gainfully employed young men who fled the country after the launch of the invasion.  Their loss has hurt the Russian economy to an extent that will take decades to recover.  If we can sustain these defectors and inculcate them with our own values, they will make a critical difference in the ultimate rejuvenation of Russian democracy. 

They need our help, and in turn, they will help us too.  A democratic Russia that values human life and respects its neighbors will be an asset to the entire world.  If Russia stops threatening its neighbors and stops meddling in the affairs of the Middles East, North Africa, and South Asia, our own safety will be more secure.  

These are noble goals that can be advanced by granting Temporary Protected Status to Russian defectors.  With a minimal cost to us, and a great advantage to them, we can undercut Vladimir Putin’s supply of soldiers and, at the same time, lay the foundation of a democratic society in Russia.

Therefore, Mr. President, I urge you as strongly as I can, to grant Temporary Protected Status to Russian defectors as soon as possible. 

Sincerely,




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Letters to the President can be sent to:

     The White House
     1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
     Washington, DC  20500

E-mails can be sent to:
     www.whitehouse.gov/contact/