US launches Welcome Corps Scheme

January 20, 2023

The United States Government recently launched a scheme called “Welcome Corps” to allow its citizens to offer sanctuaries to refugees. The scheme is aimed at expanding the capacity of the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) and will help the public cover the costs of refugees arriving in the US.

About the Welcome Corps Scheme

The Welcome Corps scheme is a new initiative from the US government to provide support for refugees arriving in the country under the USRAP. Initially, the scheme will only be open to those refugees who have been approved by the US government and the goal is to get at least 1000 Americans to sponsor the refugees. The model is similar to the one used in Canada, known as the “Refugee Cap” program.

Refugee Cap

President Joe Biden has capped the number of refugees that can be admitted to the US at 125,000. However, so far only 6,750 refugees have arrived in the country. This level was set by President Biden in an effort to counter the historically low numbers set by former President Trump. Biden promised to reverse the harsh immigration policies of the Trump Administration and increasing the number of refugees admitted to the US is a part of that effort.

Background

The Biden Administration has faced criticism from activists for expanding Title 42, a law that allows the US government to take emergency actions in the interest of public health and safety. The law has been used very rarely in the past, but was invoked by President Trump in 2020. The Biden Administration had intended to lift Title 42, but was unable to do so. The decision to send asylum seekers from Cuba, Venezuela, Haiti, and Nicaragua back to Mexico under the expansion of Title 42 has also been met with criticism from activists.

The Welcome Corps scheme is seen as an effort by the Biden Administration to address these criticisms and provide support to refugees in a more direct way. By allowing American citizens to sponsor refugees, the government hopes to expand the capacity of the USRAP and provide more opportunities for refugees to start new lives in the United States.

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