Story at a glance
- The war in Ukraine has been raging for a month, sparking international outrage.
- So far, more than 3.5 million Ukrainians have fled and another 6.4 million are internally displaced in Ukraine, according to the United Nations.
- The United States announced Thursday it would accept up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees and others displaced by the conflict, with many Ukrainian American families ready to welcome relatives.
The war between Russia and Ukraine has dragged into a second month, creating a humanitarian crisis.
More than 3.5 million Ukrainians have fled the violence, entering the bordering countries of Poland, Hungary and Romania. Another 6.4 million have been internally displaced, according to UN data.
Ongoing Russian attacks have ramped up pressure on the international community, including the United States, to provide various forms of relief to the Ukrainian people and its military.
In early March, Congress passed an omnibus funding package that included $13.6 billion in emergency funding for Ukraine.
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Following the funding’s passage, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed U.S. lawmakers virtually last week, repeating calls for a no-fly zone over Ukrainian airspace and additional military aid.
“We’re very grateful to the US, the President and the current administration for all they are doing to support Ukraine. Do we think more can be done? Of course,” said Mariya Soroka, Razom’s co-founder and head of advocacy at Razom, a Ukrainian American human rights organization.
“We need to get Capitol Hill to legislate for investment in Ukraine and provide air power and air support to Ukraine, so we can stop the bombing, stop the shelling, and save lives,” she continued.
Here are the lawmakers who represent the largest Ukrainian communities in the United States, based on data from the Census Bureau:
New York
New York is home to the country’s largest Ukrainian immigrant community and the most people claiming Ukrainian heritage. There are 137,764 residents of Ukrainian heritage, including 74,130 people born outside of the United States, according to Census data.
The number of residents of Ukrainian heritage makes up 0.70 percent of New York’s total population. New York’s 11th congressional district, which covers Staten Island, has the largest number of residents claiming Ukrainian heritage or who are foreign born, according to Census data.
That district is represented by Nicole Malliotakis (R). Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D) represents the congressional district with the second-highest number of Ukrainians, District 8, which covers parts of southern Brooklyn and Queens, according to an analysis by The Hill. Sens. Charles Schumer (D) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D) represent the state.
California
California has the second-largest number of Ukrainian immigrants and Americans of Ukrainian heritage. There are 113,054 Californians of Ukrainian heritage, with 57,234 of those residents considered foreign-born, according to Census data.
That number represents 0.28 percent of the state’s total population, according to The Hill’s analysis of Census data. California’s congressional districts 6 and 7, which cover Sacramento and its surrounding eastern and southern suburbs, are home to the greatest concentration of these communities.
Rep. Doris Matsui (D) represents California’s 6th District and Rep. Ami Bera (D) represents the state’s 7th District. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D) and Alex Padilla (D) represent the state in the U.S. Senate.
Pennsylvania
There are 106,825 people in the state claiming Ukrainian heritage, including 18,868 foreign-born residents, according to the most recently available U.S. Census data.
That number accounts for 0.83 percent of the total population of Pennsylvania, with the most members of the community living in the state’s 1st congressional district. Pennsylvania’s 1st District, represented by Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R), is located north of Philadelphia and encompasses Bucks County and parts of Montgomery County.
Rep. Brendan Boyle (D) represents the area in the state with the second-largest number of residents of Ukrainian heritage, District 2, which covers parts of North Philadelphia and all of Northeastern Philadelphia. Sens. Bob Casey (D) and Pat Toomey (R) represent the state.
New Jersey
There are 65,855 New Jersey residents of Ukrainian heritage, including 21,236 foreign-born people, according to U.S. Census data, which makes up 0.74 percent of New Jersey’s total population.
Rep. Tom Malinowski (D) represents New Jersey’s 7th congressional district, which has the largest concentration of Ukrainians in the state and those of Ukrainian heritage. This district covers Hunterdon County, and parts of Essex, Morris, Somerset, Union, and Warren counties.
Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D) represents the area of the state with the second-largest concentration of Ukrainian Americans, congressional district 11, which is centered in Morris County. Sens. Bob Menendez (D) and Cory Booker (D) represent New Jersey.
Washington
There are 62,648 Washingtonians who claim Ukrainian heritage, including 34,277 people who are foreign-born, accounting for 0.80 percent of the state’s total population.
The largest concentration of Ukrainian Americans in the state are in Rep. Kim Schrier’s (D) District 8, according to The Hill’s analysis. The district is located in western Washington and encompasses most of King, Pierce, Kittitas, and Chelan Counties and parts of Douglas County.
Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R) represents the portion of the state with the second-highest population of Ukrainian Americans, District 3, which covers the southwestern corner and part of central Washington. Sens. Patty Murray (D) and Maria Cantwell (D) represent Washington.
Florida
The Sunshine State is home to 58,419 people with Ukrainian ancestry, 18,697 of which are foreign-born. The community makes up about 0.3 percent of Florida’s total population, and is concentrated in congressional districts 22 and 23, represented by Reps. Ted Deutch (D) and Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D), respectively.
Deutsch’s district includes the cities of Coral Springs, Margate, Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale. Wasserman Schultz’s district is in the Miami metro area and includes cities of Dania Beach, Cooper City and a part of Fort Lauderdale, among others. Sens. Rick Scott (R) and Marco Rubio (R) represent the state.
Illinois
More than 53,000 people with Ukrainian ancestry (0.4 percent of the state’s population) live in Illinois, 26,433 of which are foreign-born. Reps. Mike Quigley (D) and Brad Schneider (D) represent Illinois’s 5th and 10th districts, respectively. Their districts represent two of the largest Ukrainian communities in the state. Quigley’s constituents live in the Chicago area, while Schneider’s district covers cities like Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, parts of Glenview and Buffalo Grove. Dick Durbin (D) and Tammy Duckworth (D) are the state’s U.S. senators.
Ohio
There are 41,381 people with Ukrainian ancestry, 0.35 percent of the state’s population, living in Ohio, 9,396 of whom are foreign-born. The largest Ukrainian populations in the state are located in 9th and 16th congressional districts, represented by Reps. Marcy Kaptur (D) and Anthony Gonzalez (R), respectively. Kaptur’s constituents live on the border near Lake Eerie and the district runs the expanse of the Cleveland metro area to the Toledo metro area. Gonzalez represents Ohioans in the northeast part of the state covering Wayne County with parts extending into the northern suburbs of Cleveland. Sens. Rob Portman (R) and Sherrod Brown (D) represent Ohio in the upper chamber.
Michigan
Michigan is home to 37,061 people with Ukrainian ancestry, 5,802 of which are foreign-born. The community makes up 0.37 percent of the state’s population, which is concentrated in the Wolverine State’s 9th and 11th congressional districts. These districts are represented by Reps. Andy Levin (D) and Haley Stevens (D) respectively and cover northwest Detroit as well as parts of Oakland, Macomb and Wayne Counties. Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D) and Gary Peters (D) represent Michigan in the upper chamber.
Massachusetts
The commonwealth is home to 25,434 people with Ukrainian ancestry, 10,507 of which are foreign-born. The Ukrainian population makes up .37 percent of the total population in Massachusetts, a large portion of which is in the state’s fourth and first congressional districts. Reps. Richard Neal (D) and Jake Auchincloss (D) represent these Ukrainian communities. Neal’s district covers parts of western Massachusetts including the cities of Holyoke, Granby, Chicopee and Wilbraham, among others. Auchincloss represents constituents in the southern part of the state including Fall River, Newton, Attleboro, Needham and Brookline. Progressive Sens. Ed Markey (D) and Elizabeth Warren (D) represent Massachusetts in the upper chamber.
This report has been updated April 14, 3:36 p.m.
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