Summary of Brokering Refugee Integration: Promises and Pitfalls of Refugee Co-sponsorship in the United States

New research on refugee co-sponsorship in the United States explores how volunteer-based sponsorship models shape refugee integration through both institutional support and social navigation. Drawing on interviews with resettlement agency staff, volunteers, and refugees, the study highlights how co-sponsorship enables volunteers to extend support beyond traditional government-funded services, while also revealing challenges such as unclear role definitions, uneven service delivery, and shifting power dynamics. Findings also show that co-sponsorship is a deeply reciprocal process, with volunteers themselves transforming as they develop greater awareness of structural inequalities and adopt new cultural perspectives through their relationships with refugees.

The views expressed are those of the author/s, and are not attributable to the host organisations of the Resettlement.Plus website.

Recent Updates

Refugee Hub Logo
Summary of Key Insights from Sponsorship in Rural Communities
Research on refugee sponsorship in rural communities explores how community-led initiatives can strengthen...
Read full article »
Sanremo Summer School 2026
Two Weeks in Sanremo: Strengthening My Commitment to Refugee Protection and International Humanitarian Law 
As a Pathways International-uOttawa Refugee Hub Fellow, Omer Malikyar attended the International Institute...
Read full article »
Ethnic and Racial Studies Volume 48
Summary of The Power of Sponsorship: Power and Moral Action in Private Refugee Resettlement
Research on private refugee sponsorship in Canada examines the complex power dynamics that shape relationships...
Read full article »