New policy could derail Ukrainian family's plan to enter the United States from Mexico
April 23, 2022, 8:29 am

New policy could derail Ukrainian family's plan to enter the United States from Mexico

Border-USA-Mexico/Pixabay

The Tittle Press reported that one Ukrainian family that’s fleeing the war has no formal traveling paperwork or visas, so their extended family in America bought them plane tickets to Mexico where they could cross the border.

But a new government policy starting Monday could derail the family’s plan.

Andre and Juliet Heerden, who live in Clay County, flew to Romania to meet their Ukrainian family and bring them back with them. The return trip is scheduled to happen Monday. But with the US-Mexico border closing to those seeking asylum from the war in Ukraine, the Van Heerdens may have to return home alone.

In 2016, the Van Heerdens lived in Ukraine for three months while adopting two 16-year-old brothers, and they gained an entire second family.

When Russia invaded Ukraine, the Van Heerdens’ loved ones fled to Romania just days later.

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“I left everything. I had a small bag. I put one pair of pants there, a shirt and some snacks for my daughter. And we got on a train,” said Lana, a family friend. “And so, lots of military standing with the guns, and some of them were pointing to us just to check whether we are Ukrainians or Russians. It was scary, but we made it through.”

It took a month, but the Van Heerdens raised enough money to fly to their family, now in Romania, and personally fly four of them back with them to their new home in the US.

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Juliet Van Heerden said: “People in the greater Jacksonville area came together to donate every single thing that they would need when they arrive to America with nothing."

While the US is making it easier for refugees fleeing Russia to come to the US from Europe, starting Monday, the Biden administration is shutting down an informal route through northern Mexico that’s emerged in recent weeks.

Knowing the time it would take to file and wait for the proper paperwork, Andre Van Heerden said: “We looked at it. It’s almost as stringent as doing a formal adoption. It’s complicated.”

It’s why the group made the choice to fly into Mexico on Monday (Apr 25).

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Juliet Van Heerden said: “We were told this is the way to do it, and many people have done it that way. So we said, ‘OK. We will do it too.’ And we’re just one day too late.”

The Van Heerdens have reached out to local members of Congress, who they said are working hard to get the extended family home. But as of Friday night, it didn’t look promising for their Ukrainian family.

Source: tittlepress

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has announced its sponsorship of the “Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition (GU - IST Solutions), hosted by Gulf University at its main campus.
This strategic sponsorship reflects BENEFIT’s active role in advancing technological innovation and fostering sustainable solutions to future challenges. It also seeks to empower Bahraini youth by enhancing their skills, capabilities, and competitiveness in innovation and solution development—contributing meaningfully to the broader goals of sustainable development across all sectors.
As part of BENEFIT’s active involvement in the competition, the company has announced that Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication, will serve on the competition’s supervisory committee. Her upcoming participation reflects BENEFIT’s forward-looking commitment to championing academic and professional excellence.
Commenting on the occasion, Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication at BENEFIT, said, “We are privileged to support this pioneering initiative, which aligns seamlessly with BENEFIT’s enduring commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing the potential of Bahrain’s youth. Our participation is rooted in a deep sense of social responsibility and a firm belief in the pivotal role of innovation in shaping a sustainable future. Through such platforms, we seek to empower the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and foresight required to develop impactful solutions that address future challenges, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
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The event will bring together a diverse spectrum of participants, including secondary school students, university undergraduates, engineers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and subject matter experts representing a wide range of disciplines.
The competition seeks to inspire participants to develop and present innovative, sustainable technologies aimed at addressing pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It encourages the formulation of business models that integrate advanced technological solutions with core principles of sustainability. Moreover, it serves as a platform for emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, promote the ethos of responsible technology, and demonstrate its transformative potential across various sectors.
Attendees will have the opportunity to view a series of project presentations submitted by participants, covering diverse areas such as eco-friendly product design, smart and sustainable innovations, renewable energy technologies, water conservation and management, waste minimisation and recycling, green architectural solutions, and sustainable transportation systems. Outstanding projects will be formally recognised and awarded at the conclusion of the event.