Welcome.US

We are thankful for the compassion and generosity of our welcoming community! An estimated 2 million Americans across all 50 states have opened their hearts and homes by signing up to sponsor over 750,000 refugee newcomers through safe and legal pathways. And that spirit of welcoming extends to volunteering, donating, and many other acts of support, enabling us to continue to provide safety and refuge to those in need. Every act of welcoming makes a meaningful difference. The work we do at Welcome.US is possible because of the incredible support and kindness of sponsors and our welcoming community. The Welcome.US team is grateful for our welcoming community and all that you do!

The holidays provide an opportunity to enjoy family and friends, celebrate traditions, and offer thanks for our good fortune. But imagine losing everything and having to seek safety in a new country. For refugee newcomers, the holidays can be a reminder of the friends, family, and lives they were forced to leave behind. We are a country of welcoming and compassion. You can offer warmth and comfort to newcomer families by sharing a message of welcome. Send a brief message of hope and joy to newcomers this holiday season. → https://lnkd.in/eyQrzxg2

Many sponsors who have welcomed newcomers through a humanitarian parole pathway are looking for guidance on how to help newcomers identify and apply for a more durable legal status. Welcome.US partnered with the American Immigration Lawyers Association last week to host a discussion with Dree Collopy, an immigration attorney and managing partner at Benach Collopy LLP, on how to navigate applying to an alternative legal status for newcomers who were sponsored via Uniting for Ukraine or the Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV). Watch this conversation to learn how sponsors can help newcomers determine eligibility and apply for asylum, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and permanent residency through the Cuban Adjustment Act. Watch the recorded session → https://lnkd.in/e8UPxyuT

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently shared an update on re-parole for newcomers from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela who came to the United States through a two-year sponsorship program. There is currently no re-parole process in place through USCIS; it is unclear whether individuals who apply for re-parole will be eligible. There are, however, other legal status options that sponsors can help newcomers explore before their two-year sponsorship period ends. This includes seeking asylum, the Cuban Adjustment Act, immigrant and non-immigrant visas, and Temporary Protected Status. Learn more about newcomers’ options to apply for alternative status → https://lnkd.in/gP9TgHhe Or join us tomorrow for a webinar designed for sponsors who have welcomed newcomers through a humanitarian parole pathway and seek to assist newcomers in applying for alternative legal status → https://lnkd.in/gsFX6KPa

Now more than ever, there is an urgent need for Americans to step up as sponsors. Sponsorship is one of the few safe pathways for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, Ukrainians, and Venezuelans to find refuge in the United States. The Welcome Connect platform enables everyday Americans to provide a lifeline for those seeking safety and a chance to rebuild their lives in the United States. Individuals or groups in America who want to sponsor a newcomer can start their sponsorship journey by registering at any time on Welcome.US/welcome-connect.

Welcome Connect is a FREE platform; you should never pay for access or assistance. Do not pay money to anyone who claims they can help you find a sponsor or access Welcome Connect for a fee. We are, and will continue, investigating reports of fraud and suspicious activity to block these users from accessing the platform. Registration for Welcome Connect will be ongoing on a limited and scheduled basis to ensure successful connections between sponsors and beneficiaries. For more information and resources, visit Welcome.US.

Many sponsors and Welcomers have questions about the future of sponsorship programs and their impact on newcomers in the coming months. Last week, Welcome.US CEO Nazanin Ash and Welcome.US co-founder and co-chair of the board Cecilia Muñoz hosted a conversation about the future of welcoming, what to expect in the coming months, and next steps for sponsors. Read more about the key takeaways from this important conversation here → https://lnkd.in/eXeEn7ZB

Refugee families fleeing violence and persecution need to know that the United States will continue to be a welcoming and safe country. Learn more about how you can provide an orderly and legal pathway to safety for newcomers seeking refuge in the U.S. Watch an info session and Q&A hosted by Welcome.US staff and Amy, an experienced sponsor, who shares more information about what it means to sponsor, who is seeking sponsorship, and how you can qualify for financial support. Plus, get tips on fundraising, addressing language barriers, and more. Watch anytime, anywhere to learn what sponsorship involves and how you can get started. → https://lnkd.in/eCvtr7Jp

When newcomers arrive in the United States through safe and legal pathways, one of the initial challenges they face is often connectivity. Welcome.US’s committed partners at T-Mobile and Google offer newcomers hope and peace of mind by ensuring that they can access essential technology that keeps them connected with their loved ones, their new community, and the world around them. By the end of 2024, Welcome.US and its partners will have distributed 50,000 phones with free year-long service plans from Metro by T-Mobile to resettlement agencies and community organizations that support newcomers nationwide. The power of connectivity through these mobile distributions has enabled communication and provided comfort to families facing crisis. Read more ➡️ https://lnkd.in/enq3dfqZ RefugeeOne Keeping Our Promise, Inc.

Three days after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Lesia and her family fled their hometown of Kyiv. As the war continued, they realized they would not be able to return to the normalcy of the life that they had left behind. They crossed the western border of Ukraine and struggled to live in Poland for two years. Lesia, who was then pregnant, knew they needed to make a change. This is when she discovered Welcome Connect and met Angie. Angie embodies the spirit of welcoming. After her son went to college, Angie was eager to open her home and heart to help others. In May 2024, Lesia, then nine months pregnant, along with her husband Dmytro and their other two children, arrived safely in their new community in Indiana. When the newcomer family arrived in the U.S., they also received rideshare credits through a partnership between Welcome.US and Lyft. The credits provided reliable transportation, which is necessary as the family settles in their new community. Read their story→ https://lnkd.in/ecf9WUG7