Latest news with #TimothyBroglio
Herald Malaysia
6 days ago
- Politics
- Herald Malaysia
US bishops warn immigration raids spread fear, harm dignity
The prelates voiced profound concern in a reflection ahead of its weeklong retreat in California Jun 17, 2025 Archbishop Timothy Broglio, Archbishop of the Military Services, smiles during an interview at the chapel on Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Aug. 26, 2015. (Photo: UCAN Files) By Gina Christian, OSV News "No one can turn a deaf ear to the palpable cries of anxiety and fear heard in communities throughout the country in the wake of a surge in immigration enforcement actions," said the leader of the nation's Catholic bishops in a June 16 statement that assured all impacted of their shepherds' support. Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the US military archdiocese, the president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a reflection ahead of the USCCB's weeklong retreat in California, a triennial gathering that this year replaces the bishops' usual spring plenary session. The archbishop said the occasion of the bishops' gathering seemed "appropriate to give voice to a profound concern in the hearts of the Shepherds of the Church in our Country" over the Trump administration's immigration policies. While he commended law enforcement actions "aimed at preserving order and ensuring community security" as "necessary for the common good," Archbishop Broglio said, "The current efforts go well beyond those with criminal histories." Following through on a campaign pledge, President Donald Trump has cracked down on immigration to the US. Among the administration's efforts are terminating protected status for migrants from several conflict-wrought nations, fully or partly banning travel to the US from several nations, ordering Immigrations and Customs Enforcement to meet daily arrest quotas of 3,000, halting visa interviews for foreign students, attempting to end birthright citizenship and deporting persons without permanent legal status in the US to third countries in defiance of court orders. While the administration claims to target criminal actors in its sweeps, several high-profile arrests and deportations have impacted individuals with no demonstrated criminal record. Some 44 percent of the more than 51,000 in ICE detention facilities as of June 1 are estimated to have no criminal record, other than entering the US without permission, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University. The USCCB and Catholic Charities USA are among some 200 non-governmental organizations named in a congressional probe for allegedly aiding immigrants its leaders call "inadmissible aliens" during former President Joe Biden's administration. "In the context of a gravely deficient immigration system, the mass arrest and removal of our neighbors, friends and family members on the basis of immigration status alone, particularly in ways that are arbitrary or without due process, represent a profound social crisis before which no person of good will can remain silent," said Archbishop Broglio. "The situation is far from the communion of life and love to which this nation of immigrants should strive." He pointed to Pope Leo XIV's recent video address to the young people of Chicago and the world -- in which, said Archbishop Broglio, the pope "reminded us that at the heart of the Christian faith is an invitation to share in the communion of life and love of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the first community and based completely on love." "The Holy Father also challenged us to be a sign of hope by making the world a better place," said Archbishop Broglio. The archbishop noted the backlash sparked by Trump administration policies on immigration. "The many actions of protest throughout the country reflect the moral sentiments of many Americans that enforcement alone cannot be the solution to addressing our nation's immigration challenges," he said. "While protest and dissent can be a legitimate expression of democratic participation, violence is never acceptable," Archbishop Broglio stressed. At the same time, he observed that injustice can be a trigger for conflict, quoting Pope Francis' encyclical "Evangelii Gaudium": "Without equal opportunities the different forms of aggression and conflict will find a fertile terrain for growth and eventually explode." Archbishop Broglio said that "the chronic lack of opportunities for legal status for our immigrant brothers and sisters, together with the growing denial of due process to them, is injurious to human dignity and is a considerable factor in the breakdown of the rule of law." He added, "Likewise, unfounded accusations against Catholic service providers, who every day endeavor to provide critical support and care to the most vulnerable, contribute to societal tensions and a growing climate of fear." Speaking on behalf of the nation's bishops, Archbishop Broglio said, "I want to assure all of those affected by actions which tear at the fabric of our communities of the solidarity of your pastors. "As your shepherds, your fear echoes in our hearts and we make your pain our own. Count on the commitment of all of us to stand with you in this challenging hour," he said. He also acknowledged "those in our Catholic service and community organizations working to promote the common good by binding up the wounds of the afflicted." Archbishop Broglio assured "those motivated by the urgency of the current moment to work for just and humane solutions to these immigration challenges" of "the cooperation and goodwill of the Catholic Bishops of our country."--
The Independent
07-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
US bishops halt partnerships with federal government on aid programs, citing funding cuts
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops says it is ending a half-century of partnerships with the federal government to serve refugees and children, saying the 'heartbreaking' decision follows the Trump administration's abrupt halt to funding for refugee resettlement. The break will inevitably result in fewer services than what Catholic agencies were able to offer in the past to the needy, the bishops said. 'As a national effort, we simply cannot sustain the work on our own at current levels or in current form,' said Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of 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.' The decision means the bishops won't be renewing existing agreements with the federal government, the bishops said. The announcement did not say how long current agreements were scheduled to last. Catholic bishops sued the Trump administration in February over its abrupt halt to the funding of aid provided to newly arrived refugees, saying they are owed millions already allocated by Congress to carry out resettlement aid under agreement with the federal government. But a federal judge ruled that he couldn't order the government to pay money due on a contract, saying a contractual dispute belongs before the Court of Federal Claims. The bishops have appealed that ruling.
Associated Press
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
US bishops halt partnerships with federal government on aid programs, citing funding cuts
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops says it is ending a half-century of partnerships with the federal government to serve refugees and children, saying the 'heartbreaking' decision follows the Trump administration's abrupt halt to funding for refugee resettlement. The break will inevitably result in fewer services than what Catholic agencies were able to offer in the past to the needy, the bishops said. 'As a national effort, we simply cannot sustain the work on our own at current levels or in current form,' said Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of 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.' The decision means the bishops won't be renewing existing agreements with the federal government, the bishops said. The announcement did not say how long current agreements were scheduled to last. Catholic bishops sued the Trump administration in February over its abrupt halt to the funding of aid provided to newly arrived refugees, saying they are owed millions already allocated by Congress to carry out resettlement aid under agreement with the federal government.
CNN
20-02-2025
- Politics
- CNN
US Catholic bishops sue Trump administration for halt in funding for refugee settlement
Catholic bishops sued the Trump administration on Tuesday over its abrupt halt to funding of refugee resettlement, calling the action unlawful and harmful to newly arrived refugees and to the nation's largest private resettlement program. The US Conference of Catholic Bishops says the administration, by withholding millions even for reimbursements of costs incurred before the sudden cut-off of funding, violates various laws as well as the constitutional provision giving the power of the purse to Congress, which already approved the funding. The conference's Migration and Refugee Services has sent layoff notices to 50 workers, more than half its staff, with additional cuts expected in local Catholic Charities offices that partner with the national office, the lawsuit said. 'The Catholic Church always works to uphold the common good of all and promote the dignity of the human person, especially the most vulnerable among us,' said Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the USCCB. 'That includes the unborn, the poor, the stranger, the elderly and infirm, and migrants.' The funding suspension prevents the church from doing so, he said. 'The conference suddenly finds itself unable to sustain its work to care for the thousands of refugees who were welcomed into our country and assigned to the care of the USCCB by the government after being granted legal status,' Broglio said. The conference is trying to keep the program going, but it's 'financially unsustainable,' he said, adding that it's trying to hold the US government to its 'moral and legal commitments.' The conference is one of 10 national agencies, most of them faith-based, that serve refugees and that have been sent scrambling since receiving a Jan. 24 State Department letter informing them of an immediate suspension of funding pending a review of foreign-aid programs. The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, notes that the resettlement program isn't even foreign aid. It's a domestic program to help newly arrived refugees — who arrive legally after being vetted overseas — meet initial needs such as housing and job placement. 'USCCB spends more on refugee resettlement each year than it receives in funding from the federal government, but it cannot sustain its programs without the millions in federal funding that provide the foundation of this private-public partnership,' the lawsuit says. The lawsuit said the government is attempting to 'pull the rug out' from under the program, causing it longstanding damage. The lawsuit names the departments of State and Health and Human Services as well as their respective secretaries, Marco Rubio and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Both departments have roles in delegating resettlement work to the bishops conference. There was no immediate reply in court from those departments. An HHS spokesperson said the department does not comment on pending litigation. The USCCB said it is still awaiting about $13 million in reimbursements for expenses prior to Jan. 24. As of Jan. 25, it said, there were 6,758 refugees assigned by the government to USCCB's care that had been in the country less than 90 days, the period of time for which they're eligible for resettlement aid. The conference said suspending the resettlement effort will only prolong the time it takes for refugees to find employment and become self-sufficient. President Donald Trump, whose first administration sharply cut refugee admissions, immediately suspended the decades-old program upon taking office again in January. He and his proxies have criticized refugee resettlement and other avenues of immigration. Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, recently accused the bishops conference for resettling 'illegal immigrants' in order to get millions in federal funding — an apparent reference to the resettlement program, which involves legally approved refugees. The lawsuit noted that federal reimbursements don't cover the entire cost of the program and that in 2023 the conference paid $4 million more than it received, while additional donors supported resettlement efforts by local Catholic Charities and other recipients. Vance's criticisms drew rejoinders not only from US bishops but an implicit rebuke from Pope Francis, who said Christian charity requires helping those in need, not just those in one's closest circles.
The Independent
19-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
US Catholic bishops sue Trump administration for halt in funding for refugee settlement
Catholic bishops sued the Trump administration on Tuesday over its abrupt halt to funding of refugee resettlement, calling the action unlawful and harmful to newly arrived refugees and to the nation's largest private resettlement program. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops says the administration, by withholding millions even for reimbursements of costs incurred before the sudden cut-off of funding, violates various laws as well as the constitutional provision giving the power of the purse to Congress, which already approved the funding. The conference's Migration and Refugee Services has sent layoff notices to 50 workers, more than half its staff, with additional cuts expected in local Catholic Charities offices that partner with the national office, the lawsuit said. 'The Catholic Church always works to uphold the common good of all and promote the dignity of the human person, especially the most vulnerable among us," said Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the USCCB. 'That includes the unborn, the poor, the stranger, the elderly and infirm, and migrants.' The funding suspension prevents the church from doing so, he said. 'The conference suddenly finds itself unable to sustain its work to care for the thousands of refugees who were welcomed into our country and assigned to the care of the USCCB by the government after being granted legal status," Broglio said. The conference is trying to keep the program going, but it's 'financially unsustainable," he said, adding that it's trying to hold the U.S. government to its 'moral and legal commitments.' The conference is one of 10 national agencies, most of them faith-based, that serve refugees and that have been sent scrambling since receiving a Jan. 24 State Department letter informing them of an immediate suspension of funding pending a review of foreign-aid programs. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, notes that the resettlement program isn't even foreign aid. It's a domestic program to help newly arrived refugees — who arrive legally after being vetted overseas — meet initial needs such as housing and job placement. "USCCB spends more on refugee resettlement each year than it receives in funding from the federal government, but it cannot sustain its programs without the millions in federal funding that provide the foundation of this private-public partnership," the lawsuit says. The lawsuit said the government is attempting to 'pull the rug out' from under the program, causing it longstanding damage. The lawsuit names the departments of State and Health and Human Services as well as their respective secretaries, Marco Rubio and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Both departments have roles in delegating resettlement work to the bishops conference. There was no immediate reply in court from those departments. An HHS spokesperson said the department does not comment on pending litigation. The USCCB said it is still awaiting about $13 million in reimbursements for expenses prior to Jan. 24. As of Jan. 25, it said, there were 6,758 refugees assigned by the government to USCCB's care that had been in the country less than 90 days, the period of time for which they're eligible for resettlement aid. The conference said suspending the resettlement effort will only prolong the time it takes for refugees to find employment and become self-sufficient. President Donald Trump, whose first administration sharply cut refugee admissions, immediately suspended the decades-old program upon taking office again in January. He and his proxies have criticized refugee resettlement and other avenues of immigration. Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, recently accused the bishops conference for resettling 'illegal immigrants' in order to get millions in federal funding — an apparent reference to the resettlement program, which involves legally approved refugees. The lawsuit noted that federal reimbursements don't cover the entire cost of the program and that in 2023 the conference paid $4 million more than it received, while additional donors supported resettlement efforts by local Catholic Charities and other recipients. Vance's criticisms drew rejoinders not only from U.S. bishops but an implicit rebuke from Pope Francis, who said Christian charity requires helping those in need, not just those in one's closest circles. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
