New Sponsorship Program Allows Private Citizens to Support Afghan Refugees

A new program launched on Monday will allow private citizens to sponsor families who fled Afghanistan after the Taliban took over. Thousands of families have been allocated to various military bases where they await resettlement. The initiative called the Sponsor Circle Program was launched by the Biden Administration and aims to help refugees suffering in harsh conditions.

According to the White House, over 95,000 Afghans are waiting to be resettled after the military withdrawal. The increasing backlog of refugees has laid immense pressure on resettlement agencies across the nation. Many refugees have been reported to be sleeping in tents and camps with limited access to basic necessities such water.

Advocates, veterans and others have come forward to offer help to those in need and ease the burden. The Biden Administration previously announced plans to create a private refugee sponsorship program in February. Latest reports show a capacity of 62,000 Afghans to be available across resettlement organizations. However, this figure is still short of what is required at the minimum.

With private sponsorship programs, initial expenses would be covered by private individuals and donors whereas for resettlement organizations, the expenses are covered by the State Department. Additionally, all Afghans under the private program will still be eligible for basic benefits such as healthcare and food.

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