Welcome.US and More in Common survey finds 72% of respondents, across parties, support welcoming displaced Ukrainians
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The American people overwhelmingly support welcoming Ukrainians seeking safety in the United States regardless of political party affiliation, according to a new poll released today by Welcome.US and More in Common. The poll, which was conducted by YouGov and surveyed 2,000 Americans, found that 4 in 5 respondents—including both Republicans and Democrats—believe it is important for the U.S. government and everyday Americans to welcome those fleeing violence in Ukraine. The findings come after the Biden administration announced last week that the United States will welcome up to 100,000 displaced Ukrainians.
KEY FINDINGS:
- Americans are responding to the crisis in Ukraine in ways we’ve not seen in our lifetimes. 72% of Americans, including Republicans, Democrats, and Independents, support the United States welcoming Ukrainians fleeing the war.
- An overwhelming majority of Americans, regardless of political party, are united in saying that both ordinary people and the U.S. government should support refugees from Ukraine. For about half of Americans, supporting refugees means donating to and volunteering with organizations that aim to help refugees rebuild or resettle.
- There are 90 million Americans who are taking part in welcoming, or would like to. An estimated 54 million Americans—21% of adults—have already participated in an act of welcoming refugees in the last 12 months. A further 36 million Americans—14% of adults—would like to help, but don’t yet know how to do so.
“Last August, Americans in every corner of the country raised a hand to help the thousands of Afghan newcomers seeking freedom and safety. They showed the depth of their compassion and an incredible willingness to welcome our new neighbors,” said Nazanin Ash, CEO of Welcome.US. “Now, Americans across the country are once again united in saying that they are ready to help. That’s why Welcome.US launched the Ukraine Welcome Hub to give the American people direct and tangible ways to support Ukrainians as they build new lives in communities across the United States.”
The Welcome.US Ukraine Welcome Hub is a central resource for up-to-date information and ways to help those who are fleeing the violence in Ukraine and seeking refuge in the United States, as well as Welcome.US partners who are working on the ground in Europe. Now, Americans who have expressed an overwhelming desire to support Ukrainians and who have been inspired by the extraordinary acts of welcome carried out by ordinary Europeans over the past month, can visit the Ukraine Welcome Hub to:
- Sign up to become a Welcomer and find out how you can help support newcomers.
- Donate to the Welcome Fund, a partnership with GoFundMe.org to support organizations that will help displaced Ukrainians seeking safety in the United States.
- Provide temporary housing or donate to Airbnb.org, which has provided housing to more than 24,000 Afghan refugees since August and recently committed to offer free, short-term housing to up to 100,000 fleeing Ukraine.
- Contribute extra airline miles to Miles4Migrants to help those who need a flight to safety.
“This is an unusual moment in times that have for long been deeply polarized,” said Tim Dixon, co-founder of More in Common. “But on the biggest issue confronting us all right now, Americans are united across party lines.”
About Welcome.US
At Welcome.US, our mission is to unleash the desire and capacity of Americans to welcome newcomers and help them thrive. We operate on the evidence that direct participation with newcomers transforms both the welcomer and those being welcomed. By making it easier for Americans from all walks of life to participate in the work of welcoming—and telling their stories—we are building a movement that celebrates America’s welcoming spirit by providing an opportunity to serve for all who seek to welcome. Our diverse community of Welcomers reaches across real and perceived divides to meet the needs of newcomers more effectively. In partnership with local and national resettlement agencies, diaspora organizations and leaders, refugees, community sponsorship groups, nonprofits, businesses, faith-based institutions, veterans, universities, four former Presidents and four former First Ladies, Welcome.US is a single point of entry for Americans who want to get involved and support those who are starting new lives in the United States.
To learn more about Welcome.US, please visit welcome.us.
About More in Common More in Common is a research driven organization that works on initiatives to address the underlying drivers of polarization, and build more united societies. Their research is frequently quoted by major news outlets such as Financial Times, PBS, HuffPost, and Harvard Business Review.
About YouGov YouGov is an international online research data and analytics technology group. It is the second most quoted market research source in the world.
