NAMPA, Idaho — The Ukrainian Welcome Center closed its physical doors on Sept. 1 after three years of service in the Idaho area. The center opened in Nampa in 2022 to support displaced Ukrainians relocating to Idaho due to the war. The center still has some staff on board to assist with the transition to “self-sufficiency” for clients, and some services are available at reduced capacity.
The center previously told KTVB the closures are partially due to a lack of demand. In three years of operation, the center has served about 800 people. However, changes to state and federal laws have made entering the country more difficult, and the services provided by the center are consequently less needed.
In October 2024, the federal government paused the approval of sponsorship applications. This dramatically decreased the number of Ukrainians coming to Idaho for sanctuary during the ongoing war. Those in the area are either on “humanitarian parole” or “temporary protected status,” but neither of these designations creates an immediate path towards American citizenship…