Chicagoans will be able to sponsor refugees through new program
CHICAGO (CBS) – When people were rushing to leave Afghanistan, and more recently Ukraine, Americans wanted to help, but many didn't know how.
CBS 2's Sara Machi told us about a chance for everyday Americans to sign up for a new program that launched Thursday.
The pilot program is being administered by the U.S. State Department. People who work in the field said Chicago has an extensive network in place to help people settle in the city. It will allow private American citizens to sponsor refugees in a new way.
Laura Youngberg, executive director of the Middle Eastern Immigrant and Refugee Alliance, said she first heard of the "Welcome Corps" on Wednesday when she got an email about it. They quickly signed a letter of support for the program, which in its first year aims to match 10,000 Americans with 5,000 refugees.
She said major immigration spikes, like one the U.S. saw during the withdrawal from Afghanistan, stretch their staff, budgets, and resources. The program, which is modeled after one in Canada, would help such organizations.
"People have been doing this informally," Youngberg said. "What I'm hopeful this will do is provide a structure of support, so that people don't feel like they are doing this on their own, so that people don't feel like they are re-inventing the wheel."
Thanh Tan's group Viets 4 Afghans sponsored 59 refugees as part of a pilot for the Welcome Corps.
"You need groups of people who are really united in the mission," Tan said.
Data from the State Department show between October 2021 and September 2022, the U.S. admitted more than 25,000 refugees, far short of the 125,000 they'd allotted for. The number of refugees admitted to the U.S. lags well behind the Biden Administration's goals.
Youngberg said she welcomes any program to boost those numbers, working towards their end goal, helping people resettle in a new home.
"That is a lot of what refugee work is," Youngberg said. "Is being trusted with peoples' stories and helping people resettle in a new home."
Participation in the program does come with a price tag.
Sponsors are expected to raise about $2,300 for a refugee's initial resettlement.
"It can sound daunting to become a sponsor for a family," Tan said. "You don't have to do it alone. Find a group of people, like-minded people to delegate, share the responsibility and it is absolutely worth it."
The State Department is already taking applications on WelcomeCorps.org.