07-04-2025
U.S. Catholic bishops end refugee partnerships with federal government
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on Monday said it would not renew 50-year-old agreements with the federal government to provide children's services and refugee support.
Why it matters: The decision marks the shuttering of one of the country's largest and longest -serving refugee resettlement initiatives. It comes as the Trump administration continues pursuing its immigration crackdown.
The big picture: The USCCB is choosing not to renew contracts that were already paused by President Trump.
The contracts funded services to help refugees, unaccompanied refugee minors, asylees, and victims of human trafficking and torture. The USCCB worked to"ensure that the basic needs of each arriving refugee are adequately met."
What they're saying: "This difficult decision follows the suspension by the government of our cooperative agreements to resettle refugees," Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the USCCB, said in a statement.
"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."
Zoom in: The USCCB said it would find alternative means of supporting the people already admitted to its programs, while advocating for policy reforms that provide an orderly and secure immigration process.
Its migration and refugee services are the largest refugee resettlement agency in the world, according to the USCCB website.
Context: Part of Trump's crackdown on immigration has included tightening refugee admissions.
The Trump administration suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program in January, but a federal judge then temporarily blocked President Trump's efforts.
Last month, a federal judge denied a request from USCCB to compel the Trump administration to reinstate its contracts and resume paying expenses for resettling refugees in the U.S. The bishops appealed the ruling.
Flashback: Vice President JD Vance in January said the USCCB was not a "good partner" in immigration enforcement, after a number of Christian organizations rebuked Trump's immigration executive orders.
