Refugee Sponsorship Handbook: Whatcom County

Refugees and asylum seekers are those unable to return to their home country because of persecution, or a well-founded fear of persecution, due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. Historically, refugees have primarily resettled through government-funded resettlement programs. However, since early 2023, ordinary Americans and lawful permanent residents have been able to sponsor and support refugees directly through a new program known as Welcome Corps. This program relies on volunteers to deliver comprehensive support and essential resources to arriving refugees, helping with their successful integration into American society and the subsequent rebuilding of their lives. This handbook is aimed directly at those seeking to sponsor refugees through the Welcome Corps program, though opportunities for sponsoring other migrants outside the traditional refugee program are growing rapidly. For example, new humanitarian parole programs now allow sponsors to support arriving individuals from four countries - Cuba, Haiti, Nicar agua, and Venezuela.