The Welcome Corps marks 5-month anniversary on World Refugee Day
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, on World Refugee Day, the Welcome Corps program and the consortium of participating organizations honor the resilience and courage of those who are rebuilding their lives here in the United States and celebrate those welcoming them.
Since the U.S. Government launched the Welcome Corps five months ago on January 19, 2023, Americans nationwide have begun applying to sponsor refugees through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). Many of these refugees were forced to abandon the lives they had built for their families and have lived for decades in refugee camps worldwide, often unable to leave freely, earn a living, go to school, and make contributions—in the warm embrace of a new community to call home. The UNHCR announced last week that more than 110 million people around the world are displaced, a record high globally.
Today, the consortium members leading the Welcome Corps—Community Sponsorship Hub, Church World Service (through its Refugee Welcome Collective), IRIS – Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services, International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), International Rescue Committee (IRC), and Welcome.US—are renewing their call for Americans to get involved in this service opportunity.
Last week, the Welcome Corps announced that 12 organizations have joined the Welcome Corps as Private Sponsor Organizations, leveraging their expertise to help recruit, support, and oversee Americans who are sponsoring newcomers through the Welcome Corps.
Refugees from all over the world bring with them the passion and desire to reclaim their futures in a safe and stable home. The Welcome Corps creates opportunities for refugees to thrive in the United States, pursue education, provide for their families and contribute to vibrant communities and local economies. Americans can support their arrival by forming a Private Sponsor Group to deliver core services and guide newly arriving refugees as they adapt to life in America.
Anyone can form a Private Sponsor Group and pursue sponsorship—we can all be part of the solution to the global refugee crisis. Start your sponsorship journey today to change a life, including your own, visit WelcomeCorps.org.
About the Welcome Corps
Welcome Corps is a new U.S. government community service program that allows everyday Americans to privately sponsor refugees from around the world—representing the boldest innovation in refugee resettlement in more than 40 years, grounded in the generosity and compassion of American communities. The Welcome Corps was launched by the Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), and is being implemented by a consortium of six organizations with expertise in refugee resettlement, protection, and welcome. Led by the Community Sponsorship Hub, the consortium includes Church World Service and its Refugee Welcome Collective, Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services (IRIS), International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), International Rescue Committee (IRC), and Welcome.US.
Refugee newcomers who arrive through the Welcome Corps will follow an established government process that includes extensive security vetting and health checks. They will have refugee status, employment authorization, access to key public benefits like health insurance, and can eventually apply for U.S. citizenship. The Welcome Corps program provides sponsor groups with access to tools and resources, including a budget template, fundraising support, an arrival checklist, and ongoing guidance throughout the initial sponsorship period.
