(LifeSiteNews) — The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) announced Monday that it will not renew its contracts with the U.S. government to settle migrants after sparring with the Trump administration over funding.
In an April 7 statement, the USCCB said it would not renew its cooperative agreements with the federal government for refugee resettlement programs through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), citing the Trump administration’s cutting funds to these programs. The announcement comes as the Trump administration has paused funding for the USCCB and Catholic Charities due to concerns that the organizations are aiding illegal immigration.
“Today, the USCCB makes the heartbreaking announcement that we will not be renewing existing cooperative agreements with the federal government related to children’s services and refugee support,” Archbishop Timothy Broglio, the USCCB president, said in the statement. “This difficult decision follows the suspension by the government of our cooperative agreements to resettle refugees. The decision to reduce these programs drastically forces us to reconsider the best way to serve the needs of our brothers and sisters seeking safe harbor from violence and persecution.”
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“While this marks a painful end to a life-sustaining partnership with our government that has spanned decades across administrations of both political parties, it offers every Catholic an opportunity to search our hearts for new ways to assist,” Broglio added.
Since returning to office, Trump has signed the executive order “Protecting the American People Against Invasion” that stipulated the removal of foreign nationals in violation of immigration laws and the review of funds to NGOs, including the USCCB and Catholic Charities, that support or provide services to illegal aliens.
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The USCCB and Catholic Charities have been sharply criticized for their alleged aiding of illegal immigration. Catholic Charities manages the day-to-day care for many unaccompanied alien children (UACs) and, along with the USCCB, has received $449 million from the U.S. government to shelter and transport unaccompanied immigrant children over the years.
Shortly after signing that order, the Trump administration issued a major blow to both organizations by placing a 90-day freeze on foreign aid dispersed through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which provides significant funding along with other NGOs backing abortion and the “LGBTQ” agenda.
The USCCB responded to the freeze by suing the administration over the previously committed funds. The State Department responded to the lawsuit by cancelling its multimillion-dollar refugee resettlement contracts with the USCCB.
“We will work to identify alternative means of support for the people the federal government has already admitted to these programs. We ask your prayers for the many staff and refugees impacted,” Archbishop Broglio added later in the statement.
