Welcome Corps is a new program that will allow LGTBQI+ people to resettle in the United States

Over the past two years, we have been advocating for more pathways to safety into the United States, and today, the US government made a historic announcement launching Welcome Corps: a new community service program that allows everyday Americans to privately sponsor refugees from around the world, bringing them to safety in the United States. Rainbow Railroad is proud to have been announced as one of the partners in this program, which in the near future will allow us to bring many more LGBTQI+ people to safety in the United States. Please click here if you would like updates on this program as they become available. As an organization with extensive experience and expertise in private sponsorship, Rainbow Railroad was proud to be a consultative partner in the development of this new US program, advocating for a model that will support the LGBTQI+ community. This program will allow for the creation of communities of care - meaning that community members will step up and agree to work together in order to support LGBTQI+ refugees in a way that is reflective of their unique resettlement needs. This model will help refugees to settle and integrate faster, as community members can assist them in connecting with employment opportunities, housing and others social supports - including helping them build LGBTQI+ community in their new homes. We know that LGBTQI+ people are facing increasing persecution around the world, and that as they seek refuge, they have a critical need for networks of support throughout the process of resettlement. Welcome Corps represents a major step in the commitment that the Biden administration made to LGBTQI+ communities through the Memorandum on Advancing the Human Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Persons Around the World. We are excited about the roll-out of this program, which will empower communities of care across the United States to support LGBTQI+ people at risk. We will have much more information to share in the coming weeks. In the meantime, If you are interested in receiving more information, please fill out your contact details hereand we will invite you to learn more as we continue to build our program. While this is a very important step, we understand that there is still significant work to be done to support LGBTQI+ refugees and asylum seekers in the United States, to ensure there are pathways to safety for people at imminent risk, and to push back against the tide of anti-trans legislation that is putting LGBTQI+ people in America at risk. In the meantime, with your support, we look forward to utilizing this opportunity to help more LGTBQI+ persons find safety.