By Charles Igwe
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging what they describe as an unlawful suspension of federal funding for refugee programs in the United States.
The lawsuit comes in response to executive orders issued by President Donald Trump last month, which directed a freeze on foreign assistance funds and grants as part of a broader effort to overhaul federally funded programs. The decision has sparked legal challenges from advocates and nonprofit organizations, including Catholic Charities**, which has urged the administration to reconsider, citing the critical servicesat stake.
Filed on Tuesday in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., the lawsuit highlights the USCCB’s decades-long partnership with the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration in resettling refugees. The bureau had committed approximately $65 million in federal funding to the USCCB and its affiliates, but on January 24, the State Department abruptly suspended funding, notifying the bishops with what they described as a “cursory, two-page letter.”
The impact of the funding freeze has been severe, according to the USCCB, leaving millions of dollars in pending, unpaid reimbursements for services already provided to refugees, with losses compounding by the week.
“USCCB has already been forced to initiate layoffs for 50 employees,” the lawsuit states. “It faces irreparable damage to its long-standing refugee resettlement programs, its reputation, and its relationship with subrecipients and the refugee populations it serves.”
In addition, partner organizations have also been forced to lay off staff, and refugees already in the U.S. risk losing access to essential support services.
The bishops argue that the funding suspension violates the Administrative Procedure Act, which regulates federal agencies’ decision-making processes, and also breaches the separation of powers under the U.S. Constitution. Their lawsuit seeks a court order to strike down the funding freeze and prevent the federal government from enforcing it.
The Jesuit Refugee Service has also raised concerns, warning that more than 100,000 refugees worldwide will be negatively affected by the freeze, leading to a “total work stoppage” for many Catholic humanitarian programs.
In response to the crisis, the U.S. bishops have urged Catholics to contact their representatives in Congress and advocate for the resumption of foreign aid funding, underscoring the urgent humanitarian impact of the administration’s decision.
