State Department Program to Allow U.S. Citizens to Sponsor Refugees

Ordinary Americans will soon be able to directly sponsor refugees entering the U.S. through a new policy, the State Department announced Thursday.

The State Department has historically relied on nonprofit organizations to help refugees find their footing when they first arrive in the U.S. But under the new program, called the “Welcome Corps,” groups of five or more Americans can volunteer to assist refugees with everything from finances to finding a place to live.

“The Welcome Corps will build on Americans’ generosity of spirit by creating a durable program for Americans in communities across the country to privately sponsor refugees from around the world,” the State Department said in a statement, calling the program “the boldest innovation in refugee resettlement in four decades.”

Read the source article at politico.com