Biden admin considering ways to fast-track bringing Ukrainian refugees to US

So far, the White House has argued most refugees want to stay in the region.

The Biden administration is considering ways to fast-track bringing Ukrainian refugees to the U.S. amid the historic surge across Europe of Ukrainians fleeing Russia's war, according to U.S. officials.

But the administration faces some legal hurdles to doing so, especially to giving Ukrainians refugee status, and has instead repeatedly emphasized that "the vast, vast majority of refugees want to stay in neighboring countries," as White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday, adding, "That is where we have been focus our energies at this point."

That focus comes in the form of U.S. assistance: $293 million so far, with another $4 billion specifically for humanitarian aid in the new funding bill President Joe Biden signed earlier this week.

But as the needs grow -- as cities like Warsaw and countries like Moldova are overwhelmed -- there's growing pressure on the White House, including from some U.S. lawmakers, to do more.