In a move hailed by rights organizations as a positive step, the US is introducing a new program that will permit groups of people and organizations there to “sponsor” refugees looking for shelter.
The US Department of State introduced “Welcome Corps” on Thursday, allowing the general public to contribute to the costs of resettlement for refugees who enter the country via the US Refugee Admissions Program.
A minimum of $2,275 must be raised per sponsored refugee by groups of at least five persons. A linked government website states that in addition to passing background checks and developing a support plan, the sponsor groups, which are open to US citizens or permanent residents, will also be expected to do so.
In a statement, US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken said: “The Welcome Corps is the boldest innovation in refugee resettlement in four decades.
“It is designed to strengthen and expand the capacity of the USRAP by harnessing the energy and talents of Americans from all walks of life desiring to serve as private sponsors.”
Refugee advocacy organizations, who have been urging US President Joe Biden’s administration to do more to help address the unprecedented number of refugees globally, also welcomed the announcement.
Rights organizations and the Biden administration have fought over a number of divisive immigration policies, including limitations meant to stop the influx of migrants and refugees along the southern border of the US with Mexico.
According to a fact sheet from the Department of State, Welcome Corps will initially only be available to refugees who have previously received approval for entrance into the US. Private sponsors will eventually be able to choose which refugees to aid.
The objective, according to Blinken on Thursday, is to persuade at least 10,000 Americans to sign up as private sponsors for at least 5,000 migrants in the first year of the program, which is based on a Canadian model.
Director of the private sponsorship program at the International Refugee Assistance Project, Elizabeth Foydel said in a statement that the initiative is “a concrete step towards not just rebuilding but also innovating US refugee resettlement to boost capacity and effectiveness.”
Foydel said; “We look forward to working with the Biden administration to build a permanent private sponsorship program that deepens connections between new neighbors, strengthens communities, and allows more refugees to find a safe place to call home.”
A well-known American organization for refugee resettlement, HIAS, also applauded the establishment of Welcome Corps for providing “a new, permanent way for Americans to welcome #refugees from crises worldwide.”
