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ARISE welcomes the Biden Administration’s new “Welcome Corps”

ARISE welcomes the Biden Administration’s new “Welcome Corps” initiative to welcome Refugee newcomers. The announcement made by the Secretary of State Blinken yesterday (01/19/2023) Welcome Corps – Sponsoring Refugees. Strengthening Communities. is a step in the right direction especially after the disastrous steps by the previous administration that reduced the number of refugees resettled in the US to less than 12K—11,411. This is the least number of refugees resettled in the history of the United States. The drastic cut in resettlement has contributed to a shortage of workforce in the labor market which highlights the skills refugee come with to benefit the country as a whole. That proves our take: “Refugee are resources, not a burden.”

For the last nine years, ARISE has highlighted the need for effective resettlement. Resettling refugee family involves learning about the Family’s needs and wishes and serving as a voice for the best interest of the Refugee family within their community. We have underscored the need of understanding them because their lives were drastically different from their country of resettlement. Supporting them in their transition is not easy as there remains a huge gap in accessing essential resources. Finding an apartment and leaving them in silos, without the possibility of connecting them to their larger self defined communities, is not resettlement. That’s what we believe.

It’s important to note here that since the previous administration starved and crumbled the entire refugee resettlement structures of the country, US could not resettle more refugees even when the Biden administration considerably lifted the ceiling of resettlement. Therefore the Biden administration’s initiative of involving citizens, especially those who are eager and willing to do the right thing and have the ability to welcome refugees, languishing in the refugee camps for a decade or more, is great news.

So, how can you get involved? Are you at least 18? Do you have at least five friends, colleagues, neighbors, or any group of 5? If the answer is yes, this is your opportunity to impact people’s lives and provide hope in the lives of refugees who might give up their dreams otherwise. Creating a team of 5 as PSGs (Private Sponsor Groups) and getting involved in providing hope for refugees is the right thing to do. Raising $2, 275 per refugee newcomer is not difficult. In fact, Canadian citizens have a similar program, and they are already doing it successfully. And here is the cherry on the top deal: If you are a PSG from MA, ARISE will prioritize providing you with your very own Refugee Advocate to help you and your refugee family navigate the resettlement process.

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