Denver, Colorado – As hypothesis mounted this previous February a few doable Russian invasion of Ukraine, Olena Galushko felt a pull to go away her nation.

On February 23, simply at some point earlier than the battle erupted, Galushko packed three suitcases, gathered her household, and left their dwelling within the Ukrainian metropolis of Bucha. Galushko travelled together with her three kids – aged 5, 10 and 14 – and her mom and her husband to Poland.

That sudden highway journey was the beginning of a bodily and emotionally draining voyage for Galushko and her household, as they started new lives as refugees. As we speak, they’re beginning contemporary within the US state of California.

“We understood it was going to be a tough journey, however we nonetheless took a threat,” she advised Al Jazeera.

In April, two months into the battle, US President Joe Biden launched an initiative referred to as Uniting for Ukraine, a streamlined course of to permit 100,000 Ukrainian residents displaced by Russia’s invasion to use for entry into the US.

Roughly 85,000 have reportedly arrived to date by the programme, which requires them to have a sponsor and permits them to remain for as much as two years.

However different Ukrainians, just like the Galushko household, began their journeys earlier than that help grew to become obtainable. Galushko recalled travelling an extended and gruelling route that took them from Poland, to Spain, to Mexico Metropolis, after which on to Tijuana, a metropolis simply south of the US border. From there, they have been aiming to achieve the Californian capital of Sacramento, the place they’ve buddies.

“With many stops, ultimately, we made it to Tijuana,” she stated. “The flight was very tough, and really emotionally tough.”

‘Leaving the whole lot behind’

Quickly after Russia invaded Ukraine, state officers and humanitarian associations throughout the US geared as much as obtain refugees. The state of New York has acquired hundreds of thousands in federal funding to help an estimated 14,000 displaced Ukrainians, whereas Virginia has reportedly acquired greater than 2,700 Ukrainians simply previously month.

In Colorado, state officers established a Ukrainian Migrants Process Power, and by the tip of October, almost 600 refugees had signed up for providers, stated Meg Sagaria-Barritt, a coordinator with the Colorado Refugee Companies Program. They anticipate tons of extra within the days and months forward, she advised Al Jazeera.

In California, the stream of Ukrainian refugees has been dramatic. Galina Prozorova, a former Sacramento-based programme supervisor with the Worldwide Rescue Committee (IRC), stated greater than 20,000 Ukrainians had crossed into the state from Mexico for the reason that battle broke out.

“There was a big improve in March and April. Folks have been actually working and leaving the whole lot behind,” Prozorova advised Al Jazeera. “Households have been pulled aside.”

Lots of the Ukrainians arriving in Mexico at the moment have been successfully in “survival mode”, she added.

“There was additionally lots of emotional trauma from the whole lot they’ve been seeing [in the war],” Prozorova stated.

That trauma was compounded for some by the experiences they confronted in Mexico, together with id theft, sexual exploitation and trafficking.

“Traffickers confirmed up on the Mexico facet of the US border, providing varied providers and introducing themselves as resettlement companies,” she stated. “In some cases, some [Ukrainian] youth disappeared.”

As soon as refugees have arrived within the US, Prozorova stated the IRC does what it could to assist with training, job placement and housing, however the course of nonetheless poses important challenges: “We’re extraordinarily restricted, not simply on workspaces, but in addition on housing.”

Humanitarian parole

Galushko and her household had a greater expertise than some households who tried the US-Mexico border crossing. She stated their case was expedited after Mexican authorities realized her son was recovering from leukaemia and her mom had diabetes.

“Volunteers took us immediately from the airport to the [US] border, and as soon as we crossed the border, we have been additionally greeted by church volunteers on the US facet,” Galushko stated.

After an evening in an area church, the household boarded a van supplied by volunteers, and commenced the lengthy drive from San Diego to Sacramento. Since early April, they’ve been residing in Sacramento below the federal humanitarian parole system, which facilitates short-term admission into the nation and gives sure advantages, corresponding to meals support and medical insurance.

Legally unable to work, Galushko says her household has been residing on help from the state authorities and support teams, whereas their kids attend native colleges. The household has additionally been attempting to be taught English. In the meantime, Galushko watches the information carefully and acknowledges a “entire spectrum of feelings” in the case of the battle again dwelling.

“On one hand, anger with what’s happening, with what is occurring and why is it taking place to my folks,” she stated. “Additionally, in fact, ache, once I see all of the households which are searching for assist and all of the destruction that’s happening. Compassion, as a result of particularly now within the winter season, persons are with out electrical energy, with out heat water, in order that they’re struggling quite a bit.

“However I’m additionally completely happy for them. They’re recovering very nicely; they’re attempting to rebuild the buildings that have been destroyed,” Galushko added. “I’m completely happy persons are not dropping their hope, that they’re staying there and attempting to restore the whole lot that was destroyed.”

There was additionally a shock throughout the journey from Ukraine, when Galushko found she was pregnant. Her child lady was born simply days in the past.

“We hope that there will probably be a programme … that may permit us to remain right here completely,” she stated.

“[Bucha] is destroyed, so we’ve nowhere to return. The battle remains to be taking place. We’ve 4 kids right here and a life that’s fairly steady.”