The United States government recently launched a program that will allow American citizens to privately sponsor the arrival of migrants from the Caribbean and other countries. Welcome Corps will help those looking to arrive in the United States through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).
In the first year of the program’s implementation, the Biden Administration hopes to mobilize up to 10,000 Americans that will assume the role of private sponsors and welcome 5,000 refugees to the U.S.
Benefits of Welcome Corps
U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said the Department of State will work together with the Department of Health and Human Services to implement the Welcome Corps.
“This program invites Americans to be partners and guides to refugees, as they build new lives in the United States and help them realize their full potential,” said Blinken.
“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 – ranging from members of faith and civic groups, veterans, diaspora communities, businesses, colleges and universities, and more,” he said.
Blinken said the introduction of the Welcome Corps is a continuation of the United States’ history of welcoming migrants to its shores. “In the face of unprecedented global displacement, the United States will continue to lead the international community in humanitarian response, including refugee resettlement. By launching the Welcome Corps, we build on a proud tradition of providing refuge and demonstrate the spirit and generosity of the American people as we commit to welcoming refugees in need of our support.”
Biden Administration Criticism
The Welcome Corps program comes at a time when the White House has been criticized for reducing the number of migrants welcomed in the US.
Caribbean-American Democratic Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke criticized the reduction of the number of migrants allowed into the U.S. “As the daughter of immigrants and a woman who has dedicated her life towards securing their fair and equitable access to the American dream, I have long pursued reform in a desperately out-of-date immigration system,” said Clarke, whose parents are from Jamaica. “Unfortunately, the recently announced reforms from President Biden and his administration fail to deliver the change migrant communities deserve and have prayed for.”
