U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services began accepting applications for a special parole program for Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s war. It’s a similar program to the one rolled out for Afghans, with a few important differences. The program gives eligible Ukrainians fast-tracked entry to the U.S. through humanitarian parole. 

It’s the same, temporary status given to some 78,000 Afghans evacuees last year. Tucson City Council member Steve Kozachik has been helping Afghans already here apply for the status for family members still stuck abroad. He says many are getting rejected. 

"And that’s troubling to me, we have people who have got applications in and you remember this is not for free, you still have to file a $575 filing fee, non-refundable," he said. 

USCIS is waiving that fee for Ukrainian applicants. Kozachik says Afghans have applied for fee waivers, too, mostly unsuccessfully. 

"We have seen what the very, very troubling process for Afghan refugees has looked like, and yet we're setting up a separate line from San Ysidro [port of entry] and talking about exempting them from fees," he said. "A refugee is a refugee is a refugee, they're all coming from a traumatic situation, and they all deserve the same level of consideration irregardless of ethnicity. ... I would much rather see this administration put an emphasis on fixing the refugee resettlement process generally, than to be doing carveouts for one group or another."

As NBC reports, more than 4,000 Ukrainians were given the status in February and March. Just 270 Afghans have been conditionally approved for parole since last July.