LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Lending a helping hand to his ancestral homeland. A Ukrainian American from the Valley is using his expertise as an immigration lawyer to help his community as families grapple with whether they can get their loved ones out of Ukraine.

“First of all, it was difficult for me to equalize and I try and I have to and I need to function and keep practicing the right.”

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Vladimir Gutsaliuk’s mind and heart are with Ukraine, his native country. He is appalled to see the war forcing so many people to flee. As a Las Vegas immigration attorney fluent in Ukrainian, he answered many questions about the asylum process and how to bring loved ones to the United States.

“I answer these questions daily right now. In fact, I try to be flexible and helpful,” he said.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, more than 2.5 million Ukrainians have fled the country since the Russian invasion. Many choose to stay in Europe. But Goutsaliuk says some might choose to come to America. He says that so far there is no fast-track refugee status process for Ukrainians here.

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“It would have to be a special program approved by Congress and it would have to go through this vetting process, and it would be a long process,” he said.

He says the Department of Homeland Security grants Ukrainian nationals temporary protected status for 18 months. This should help those who are already in the United States to stay put. However, Goutsaliuk hopes to see a pathway to permanent residency for refugees who choose to stay.

“But at least a number of the most deserving refugees if you will. We would like to see if there would be a way to bring these people here,” he said.