I’m in the same boat as Yuri, and from my experience Russia doesn’t require any status paperwork from ICE in order to issue the travel document. That is something Yuri has to figure out himself if he really wanna immigrate to Russia as lots of Ukrainians nowadays just run the border and apply for political asylum in Russia with minimum documents.

Yuri may obtain the same passport as Mikhail used to enter American Samoa, then he may apply for the tourist visa in the Russian Consulate General in Seattle, then upon arrival he may apply for asylum and/or permanent residence in Russia. He may also repatriate to Russia as a professional specialist, as Russia now accepts practically everybody with skills. It doesn’t seem that Yuri is serious about repatriation to Russia though.

Yuri is not, nor never was, a Russian Citizen,. He was born in the Ukraine. He left the Soviet Union and legally immigrated to the United States in 1990. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, the Ukraine only granted citizenship to those who were present on their soil at the time of the breakup. Yuri was already in the United States, so he did not receive Ukranian citizenship. He now would like to goto Russia to reunite with his young son and partner. Russia has agreed to allow him to enter Russia if he simply receives an official declaration of status from ICE. ICE refuse to provide an official declaration of status even though he is currently under an order of deportation. It’s simple, if ICE issues a letter stating that Yuri has no status to remain on American soil on ICE letterhead, then Russia will issue a travel document to Yuri. For some strange reason, ICE refuses to issue such a document, even though a judge has signed an official order of Deportation. ICE keeps providing Yuri with work permits, but refuses to provide him with documentation of his status and a Non eligible Immigrant. For some strange reason, they don’t seem to want to let him leave even though a judge has ordered him deported.

Who will cry out for Yury and his son who has been waiting for his father to come home!