Catholic Bishops End Decades-Long Refugee Partnership with U.S. Government

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops cites severe federal funding cuts as the reason for halting its refugee resettlement and migrant children programs after a half-century of collaboration.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has officially announced the termination of its federal partnerships for refugee resettlement and migrant children programs, effective by the end of the fiscal year.
The decision follows the Trump administration’s suspension of funding agreements in January 2025, which the bishops say made continuing the programs financially unsustainable.
The USCCB has filed legal action against the federal government, claiming it is owed $24 million in unpaid funds allocated by Congress for completed resettlement services.
More than 930,000 refugees have been resettled by the USCCB since 1980, but the end of this partnership will significantly reduce services for refugees and migrant children already in the U.S.
The Church plans to explore alternative ways to support displaced individuals and continues to advocate for immigration policy reforms despite the loss of federal support.