Today, The New York Times ran a special feature on the successful private sponsorship program in Canada, which allows private individuals to provide financial and practical support to resettled refugees. The main article is accompanied by an insightful Q&A on the possibility of a similar program in the United States.
The piece highlights IRAP as one of the key organizations working towards a proposal for such a program. IRAP advocates for private sponsorship as an important tool to increase the number of resettlements, further refugee integration, and increase public support for refugee issues.
“The magic of sponsorship is the personal relationships,” Betsy Fisher, IRAP’s policy director, told the Times. When individuals and communities are able to be directly involved with resettlement processes, they establish personal connections with the refugees, improving their integration and self-sufficiency.
Read the feature and the Q&A here and learn more about our views on private sponsorship.