About us
HEARTBEAT
with Anastasiya Polo
is an advocacy nonprofit organization that, since 2022, represents newly arrived Ukrainians and the new Ukrainian diaspora in the United States, focusing on lawful status, access to employment, and family protection.
Headquartered in Southern California, the organization unifies Ukrainian communities across 18 states and works with U.S. government institutions to translate community needs into timely policy solutions.
Supporting Ukraine and Beyond Since 2016
500+
Kids with
cancer supported
200+
Deaf-mute children helped
1000+
Legal aid cases resolved
300K+
UFU program opening support
500+
Students at Heartbeat Center’s English School
25K+
Ukrainian refugees assisted
at Mexico border
LET THEM WORK
LET THEM WORK is a national advocacy initiative focused on addressing systemic USCIS delays that prevent Ukrainians lawfully present in the United States from maintaining uninterrupted work authorization.
The initiative includes federal-level advocacy with Congress and the Administration, engagement with communities, businesses, and faith organizations, and public outreach that highlights the economic and social contributions of Ukrainians in the U.S. to explain why the right to work must be protected.
LET THEM WORK is a national advocacy initiative addressing systemic USCIS delays and policy gaps affecting Ukrainians lawfully present in the United States.
The initiative advocates for uninterrupted work authorization, timely processing of humanitarian parole and TPS, and lawful stability for Ukrainians while the war continues.For over one year — and in some cases more than 18 months — Ukrainians who entered the U.S. legally, filed all required applications on time, paid all fees, and complied with U.S. law have faced prolonged USCIS delays beyond their control.
As a result:
• people lose work authorization and income;
• families face financial instability;
• some individuals are exposed to detention due to document expirations caused solely by administrative delays, not violations.The LET THEM WORK advocacy case calls for federal-level administrative solutions, including:
• uninterrupted or timely extension of work authorization;
• faster processing and extension of humanitarian parole and TPS;
• temporary and longer-term lawful pathways for Ukrainians at least while the war continues;
• protection of law-abiding individuals from harm caused by government processing delays.Ukrainians in the U.S. are working, paying taxes, starting businesses, and contributing to the American economy and local communities.
The loss of work authorization due to delays harms:
• families and children,
• U.S. employers,
• local economies,
• and public trust in lawful immigration processes.This initiative highlights why protecting the right to work is not a benefit, but a necessity for both Ukrainians and the United States.
You can support the initiative by becoming a voice for Ukrainians and contacting your U.S. Senator or Representative.
The HEARTBEAT with AP team has prepared four sample advocacy letters, written from different perspectives:
• from Ukrainians lawfully present in the U.S.;
• from U.S. citizens;
• from employers and business owners;
• from churches and faith-based organizations.All sample letters are available in our Telegram channel:
LET THEM WORK—
Timeline of Key Events
The LET THEM WORK advocacy case was formally developed.
The team conducted consultations with California-based immigration attorneys, refugee and human rights organizations, as well as community and faith leaders. During this period, more than 30 offices of U.S. Senators and Members of Congress were informed, and state-level representatives were engaged.
➡️ This was no longer an isolated problem.
The LET THEM WORK advocacy case was formally developed. The team conducted consultations with California-based immigration attorneys, refugee and human rights organizations, as well as community and faith leaders. During this period, more than 30 offices of U.S. Senators and Members of Congress were informed, and state-level representatives were engaged.
➡️ Individual stories became a collective case.
The LET THEM WORK initiative was presented at the Strategic Summit of Ukrainian Ministries in Cleveland, Ohio. The summit brought together pastors, church leaders, and nonprofit organizations from across the United States. Immigration document delays were raised as a shared advocacy issue, and faith leaders were engaged to support and advocate for their congregants at local and state levels.
➡️ The issue entered public and institutional dialogue.
DYAKU.U 25 — Ukrainian Annual Thanksgiving Festival was held in Orange County, Southern California. The festival expressed gratitude to the United States and highlighted Ukrainian-owned businesses and the economic contributions of Ukrainians to the U.S. economy. The LET THEM WORK initiative was presented as part of the broader advocacy narrative, with participation from local government officials and the Chamber of Commerce.
➡️ The message reached beyond the Ukrainian community.
The initiative advanced to the federal level with the preparation and submission of a collective appeal addressed to the President of the United States and the White House Administration, raising awareness of immigration document delays affecting lawfully present Ukrainians.
➡️ The issue advanced to the federal level.
Within four months, LET THEM WORK evolved from individual community requests into a coordinated, multi-state advocacy initiative involving communities, faith leaders, legal experts, and partners across 18 U.S. states.
➡️ LET THEM WORK emerged as a national advocacy initiative.
LET THEM WORK
— Timeline of Key Events
August 2025 —
Community Outreach & Issue Identification
September 2025 —
Formation of the Advocacy Case
The LET THEM WORK advocacy case was formally developed.
The team conducted consultations with California-based immigration attorneys, refugee and human rights organizations, as well as community and faith leaders. During this period, more than 30 offices of U.S. Senators and Members of Congress were informed, and state-level representatives were engaged.
Ukrainians from multiple U.S. states began reaching out directly to Anastasiia Polo regarding delays in work authorization and related immigration documents. Despite filing applications on time, many were losing their jobs due to administrative delays. In response, Anastasiia Polo consolidated these cases, mobilized the HEARTBEAT with AP team, and initiated advocacy efforts focused on this issue.
November 2025 —
DYAKU.U 25 Festival(Orange County, CA)
October 2025 —
Strategic Summit Presentation (Cleveland, Ohio)
The LET THEM WORK initiative was presented at the Strategic Summit of Ukrainian Ministries in Cleveland, Ohio. The summit brought together pastors, church leaders, and nonprofit organizations from across the United States. Immigration document delays were raised as a shared advocacy issue, and faith leaders were engaged to support and advocate for their congregants at local and state levels.
DYAKU.U 25 — Ukrainian Annual Thanksgiving Festival was held in Orange County, Southern California. The festival expressed gratitude to the United States and highlighted Ukrainian-owned businesses and the economic contributions of Ukrainians to the U.S. economy. The LET THEM WORK initiative was presented as part of the broader advocacy narrative, with participation from local government officials and the Chamber of Commerce.
Overall Outcome
December 2025 — Federal-Level Advocacy
The initiative advanced to the federal level with the preparation and submission of a collective appeal addressed to the President of the United States and the White House Administration, raising awareness of immigration document delays affecting lawfully present Ukrainians.
Within four months, LET THEM WORK evolved from individual community requests into a coordinated, multi-state advocacy initiative involving communities, faith leaders, legal experts, and partners across 18 U.S. states.
LET THEM WORK
— Timeline of Key Events
August 2025 —
Community Outreach & Issue Identification
September 2025 —
Formation of the Advocacy Case
The LET THEM WORK advocacy case was formally developed.
The team conducted consultations with California-based immigration attorneys, refugee and human rights organizations, as well as community and faith leaders. During this period, more than 30 offices of U.S. Senators and Members of Congress were informed, and state-level representatives were engaged.
Ukrainians from multiple U.S. states began reaching out directly to Anastasiia Polo regarding delays in work authorization and related immigration documents. Despite filing applications on time, many were losing their jobs due to administrative delays. In response, Anastasiia Polo consolidated these cases, mobilized the HEARTBEAT with AP team, and initiated advocacy efforts focused on this issue.
November 2025 —
DYAKU.U 25 Festival(Orange County, CA)
October 2025 —
Strategic Summit Presentation (Cleveland, Ohio)
The LET THEM WORK initiative was presented at the Strategic Summit of Ukrainian Ministries in Cleveland, Ohio. The summit brought together pastors, church leaders, and nonprofit organizations from across the United States. Immigration document delays were raised as a shared advocacy issue, and faith leaders were engaged to support and advocate for their congregants at local and state levels.
DYAKU.U 25 — Ukrainian Annual Thanksgiving Festival was held in Orange County, Southern California. The festival expressed gratitude to the United States and highlighted Ukrainian-owned businesses and the economic contributions of Ukrainians to the U.S. economy. The LET THEM WORK initiative was presented as part of the broader advocacy narrative, with participation from local government officials and the Chamber of Commerce.
Overall Outcome
December 2025 — Federal-Level Advocacy
The initiative advanced to the federal level with the preparation and submission of a collective appeal addressed to the President of the United States and the White House Administration, raising awareness of immigration document delays affecting lawfully present Ukrainians.
Within four months, LET THEM WORK evolved from individual community requests into a coordinated, multi-state advocacy initiative involving communities, faith leaders, legal experts, and partners across 18 U.S. states.
Founder of Heartbeat with AP | Humanitarian Policy Initiator | U4U Advocacy Initiator
Anastasiya Polo
Anastasiya Polo is an advocacy leader and one of the initiating voices of the U4U (Uniting for Ukraine) public advocacy movement, mobilizing nationwide support for displaced Ukrainians seeking humanitarian protection and security in the United States. She founded Heartbeat with AP, a civic platform dedicated to community empowerment, humanitarian support, and legislative advocacy.
Following the outbreak of the full-scale war in Ukraine, Anastasiia became a co-founder of a humanitarian movement at the U.S.–Mexico border, focused on supporting Ukrainians during the first months of mass forced displacement. She served as the initiator of civic and advocacy mobilization that elevated the humanitarian crisis of Ukrainians onto the public and political agenda and laid the groundwork for the emergence of the Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) program and subsequent national humanitarian solutions for Ukrainians in the United States.
She is the founder of the Let Them Work legislative initiative — a proposed policy effort aimed at expediting employment authorization for humanitarian parole beneficiaries, strengthening economic integration, and removing systemic work permit delays for Ukrainians and other displaced communities.
Anastasiia has worked directly with U.S. congressional offices, grassroots organizations, and national networks to build policy awareness, activate civic engagement, and advance humanitarian reform through unified community-driven action.