We are sponsors, volunteers, and concerned citizens who have given our time and resources to welcome and support refugees in our communities.

On this World Refugee Day, we stand in solidarity with refugees around the world and in the United States who make our country stronger. The United States has long been a leader in protecting refugees seeking freedom from persecution based on their race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group.

We believe that the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) is a powerful tool in advancing solutions for refugees and building a stronger, safer, more prosperous America. We call on you to protect this program.

Support for Private Refugee Sponsorship Programs

We specifically ask you to support private sponsorship as an integral component of a USRAP that is innovative, effective, and responsive to the will of the American people. Sponsorship allows families seeking to reunite with endangered loved ones, veterans supporting their interpreters, and faith communities aiding persecuted individuals to provide a lifeline to those who might otherwise have no chance at resettlement.

Private sponsorship empowers private citizens as well as businesses and civic organizations to provide life-saving support to refugees, better foster holistic integration, and build resilient American communities in the following ways:

1. Strengthening Communities. Private sponsorship not only helps refugees but also strengthens communities. Sponsors work directly with family, neighbors, and other community members to welcome those seeking refuge. By engaging everyday Americans in the resettlement process, private sponsorship fosters social cohesion and builds cultural understanding.

2. Contributing Private Resources and Support. Sponsors and their communities share the responsibilities of resettlement with the government by contributing private resources and support. Under the Welcome Corps private sponsorship program alone, everyday Americans have already committed more than $210 million of private support in addition to their time and networks to help welcome refugee families. This public-private approach to sponsorship strengthens the relationship between citizens and government, fostering goodwill and building public trust.

3. Economic and Social Benefits. Refugees bring diverse skills, talents, and perspectives that enrich their new communities. Private sponsorship helps refugees integrate more smoothly into the economy, contributing to the workforce, local economy, and the broader community. This creates mutual economic and social benefits for both refugees and the host society.

4. Proven Model of Success. Private sponsorship programs have demonstrated success in other countries like Canada. Refugees rebuild their lives with the built-in support of new neighbors from the onset. When concerned family, friends, and neighbors come together, they can make a profound difference in the lives of those seeking refuge.

5. Shared Responsibility. The refugee crisis is a global challenge that requires a collective response. Private sponsorship enables individuals and organizations to step forward and share the responsibility of addressing this crisis. By supporting private sponsorship, we ensure that the onus of resettlement does not fall solely on governments but is shared by everyday Americans and civil society actors. Furthermore, we ensure that refugees are not only welcomed into big cities but also into small, tight-knit communities eager to participate in refugee resettlement.

Every person deserves safety, dignity, and the opportunity to rebuild their life. Through private sponsorship, Americans provide refugees with a pathway to a better future that allows them to find safety and contribute to our local communities.

We urge our government, policymakers, and civil society leaders to support the continuation and expansion of the U.S. Refugee Program. Specifically, we ask you to:

● Ensure that refugee resettlement, including with support from private sponsors, resumes for all refugee populations regardless of nationality or religion.

● Expand opportunities for citizens to support newcomers through private sponsorship. This includes honoring the time and financial resources already committed by the more than 160,000 Americans from all 50 states across America by resuming processing of privately sponsored refugee cases.

● Recognize the desire and invaluable role of local communities in helping refugees thrive.

On this day of global reflection and action, we commit to welcoming refugees to the United States, advocating for effective solutions, and building a more inclusive and humane world. We ask you to hear our requests.

Thank you for your time and consideration.