Help Enact U.S. Refugee Sponsorship Program
In 1980, the U.S. opened its doors to more than 200,000 refugees fleeing devastating conditions in their home countries. But last year, America admitted a mere 60,000 refugees, even as global conflict is on the rise.
President Obama has pledged to raise America's standing in the world. And the best way to increase good will toward the U.S. is to return to the roots of what makes our country great: welcoming refugees from around the world. One easy reform to refugee policy is to enact a sponsorship program like those already effective in Canada and Australia.
With a sponsorship program, American families could volunteer to host a refugee in their home for a set period of time. The American sponsor would provide accommodations, clothing, food and emotional support to help the refugee support him or herself. With such a program, the U.S. government would retain the right to issue visas, but it would allow individual Americans to directly help refugees.
Incoming Secretary of State Hillary Clinton must push for a revised refugee policy that includes a sponsorship program. Urge her to allow Americans to individually host refugees to make a difference in lives around the world.
Dear Secretary of State Clinton,
As the next secretary of state, you will have the chance to shape American policy toward refugees facing disastrous conditions in their home countries. I urge you to adopt a refugee sponsorship program similar to the ones that are currently successful in Canada and Australia.
The United States of America has historically been a welcoming beacon for displaced persons from around the world. Indeed, our great nation was founded as a land of immigrants - and some of the people who need to immigrate to the U.S. the most come from countries ravaged by war and natural disasters. These refugees deserve to be welcomed into the U.S., but the number of refugees we have admitted has dropped threefold since 1980.
Australia and Canada have enacted refugee sponsorship programs that have addressed this concern in their countries and can serve as a model for a new American program. With a sponsorship program, American families could volunteer to host a refugee in their home for a set period of time. The American sponsor would provide accommodations, clothing, food and emotional support to help the refugee support him or herself.
With such a program, the U.S. government would retain the right to issue visas, but it would allow individual Americans to directly help refugees. And it would raise our standing in the world, as President-elect Obama pledge to do during his campaign.
[Your comment here]
Thank you for advocating for a refugee sponsorship program as secretary of state.
