Welcome Corps

Written By: MIMS Cohort 6 student Magaly Velasco-Escobar

The Department of State, in collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services, created a new community sponsorship program that allows groups to sponsor refugees from all over the world. The program was modeled after earlier efforts to resettle Afghans and Ukrainians through private sponsorship. It also builds on previous sponsorship programs from the 1970s & 1980s when over 700,000 Southeast Asians entered the United States as refugees. The “first wave” of Vietnamese refugees to be admitted into the United States in the 1970s & 1980s spent a short time in refugee camps due to the willingness of church sponsors. While exact numbers are difficult to pinpoint, roughly 22,000 Southeast Asian refugees were sponsored through community sponsorship between 1975 and 1985. Some of these churches later subcontracted with the federal government to assist with refugee resettlement programs beginning the collaboration between the government, nonprofits, and private individuals. The Welcome Corps also builds on the Sponsor Circle Program. Through the Sponsor Circle Program, American citizens began sponsoring those displaced by the United States’ withdrawal of military troops from Afghanistan and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Sponsor Circle Program was available exclusively to Ukraine or Russia.

The Biden Administration created the Welcome Corps to expand sponsorship opportunities to refugees worldwide. The Welcome Corps is more than an emergency measure; it is meant to stay long-term. Biden’s Executive Order 14301, “Rebuilding and Enhancing Programs to Resettle Refugees” in 2021 directed the government to develop a “private sponsorship” program, and the Welcome Corps accomplished that goal. With over 100 million displaced, private sponsorship programs are essential for increasing refugee resettlement numbers, but they complement existing refugee pathways.

The Welcome Corps is being implemented by a consortium of six nonprofit organizations with experience in refugee resettlement. The Community Sponsorship Hub leads the consortium and includes Church World Service/Refugee Welcome Collective, Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services (IRIS), International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), International Rescue Committee (IRC), and Welcome.US. The consortium would oversee the vetting and certification of sponsors throughout the application process, providing training and tools necessary for a successful sponsorship and monitoring the program to ensure the sponsored and sponsors get the appropriate support. Community Organizations and institutions can also participate in the program by agreeing to be Private Sponsor Organizations (PSOs) who join efforts to mobilize, support, and oversee private sponsors.

Refugees who arrive through Welcome Corps must follow established procedures, including extensive security vetting and health checks. Once they come to the United States, they will have work authorization and access to crucial public benefits such as health insurance. Beneficiaries of the Welcome Corps would also be allowed to apply for citizenship once in- country requirements have been met. The consortium assists sponsorship groups by providing a budget template, fundraising support, an arrival checklist, and ongoing guidance throughout the initial sponsorship period.

The program consists of two phases, starting with a community sponsorship program and expanding to include private sponsorship. In the program’s first phase (beginning January 19, 2023), community sponsors would be matched with refugees who have already been approved for resettlement in the United States through USRAP. Many refugees who have already been approved for resettlement have been waiting in refugee camps for decades, unable to move freely, earn a living, or begin rebuilding their lives. The Department of State will assist with matching sponsors and refugees for the first six months of 2023. The Department of State aims to mobilize 10,000 Americans and offer sponsorships to 5,000 refugees, possibly expanding numbers to meet demand as necessary. Later in 2023, private sponsors will be able to refer possible refugees to USRAP to assess their asylum claim and assess their eligibility to be privately sponsored into the United States.

Groups of five people would apply together and form a Private Sponsorship Group (PSG). PSGs can be faith-based groups, colleges or universities, veterans’ associations, or just a group of friends. Each member of the group must be over the age of 18 and be U.S. Citizen or Legal Permanent Resident. All five members of the PSG must live within the same community or near the same neighborhood, individually complete a background check, and sign the PSG commitment. While all members are encouraged to take Welcome Corps Essentials training, it is only required that one member per PSG take it. Once a PSG application is approved, the group will be matched with an eligible refugee and must commit to providing essential support services to the arriving refugee for the first 90 days in the community; these include securing housing, greeting refugees at the airport, helping enroll children in local schools, and helping adults find employment.

The remainder of the application is specifically designed to determine if the PSG can welcome refugees. The group must complete a welcome plan, and support is offered through weekly support sessions that can be attended through the Welcome Corps website. The PSG is also responsible for fundraising a minimum of $2,275 per sponsored refugee, which assists in housing costs, such as rental deposit, furnishings, stocking newcomer apartments with groceries, or any associated fees. It must also be noted that this amount is the MINIMUM required for the PSG to raise but based on location, that amount may be more.

The program launched earlier this year; therefore difficult to determine how successful the program has been. Initial polling by YouGov shows three out of five people support the program, 76% identifying as Democrats, 51% identifying as Independents, and 45% identifying as Republicans. Additionally, during the first few weeks after the launch of Welcomecorps.org, 20,000 signed up for email updates, and more than 11,000 signed up for informational sessions, signifying high interest in participating in the program. Nonprofit organizations are already praising the program as much needed and a great way to increase refugee numbers in the United States. The Welcome Corps is needed to provide additional methods of resettlement options for those fleeing violence and instability in their home countries. The program allows refugee newcomers to feel welcomed into their new communities and supported by those who know the community best. It also allows for permanent resettlement pathways as opposed to previous programs where only parole was granted; this provides for legal pathways, family reunification, and eventually permanent status or U.S. citizenship. The program would help thousands of people who have been displaced in refugee camps for decades.

For more information, please visit https://welcomecorps.org.

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