A year later, Ukrainian refugees' legal status creates roadblocks for resettling in the PNW

The United Nations estimates that at least 8 million Ukrainian refugees have been recorded across Europe.

Before Russia’s invasion, the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan prompted another refugee crisis.

These global conflicts, among others, have triggered mass displacements on an unprecedented scale.

While the United States is accepting a lot fewer refugees than before the Trump Administration and the Covid-19 pandemic, some folks are still making it here.

In the last year, Snohomish County alone has welcomed several thousand Ukrainian and Afghan refugees. But their legal status is creating challenges for aid groups providing help.

To expedite their entry, the Biden Administration opened paths for Ukrainians and Afghans to come to the U.S. on a temporary program called "humanitarian parole."

Soundside host Libby Denkmann caught up with Van Dinh-Kuno, the executive director of Refugee and Immigrant Services Northwest, a refugee-led nonprofit based in Everett.

Hear the full interview above.