Pope Leo: Trump Administration Ends $11m Contract With Catholic Charities

The administration of Donald Trump has terminated an $11 million federal contract with Catholic Charities for the care of unaccompanied migrant children, bringing to a close a partnership that spanned more than six decades.

The agreement, administered through the Office of Refugee Resettlement under the Department of Health and Human Services, had supported a Miami-based programme providing shelter and services to minors entering the United States without parents or guardians.

The collaboration dates back to efforts by the Catholic Church to assist Cuban migrants arriving in South Florida in the mid-20th century. Its termination follows recent friction between the administration and segments of the Catholic community.

Tensions have grown after remarks linked to Pope Leo XIV, described as the Vatican’s first American pope, whose public positions have included criticism of U.S. foreign policy toward Iran and advocacy for migrant protection.

According to reports, federal officials notified Catholic Charities of the funding decision in late March. The organisation operates a federally supported care system for unaccompanied minors that is separate from state-run child welfare services.

In a statement, the Archdiocese of Miami said Archbishop Thomas Wenski was unavailable for direct comment but expressed concern over the move.

Wenski said the decision ends more than 60 years of cooperation and warned that the programme could shut down within three months due to the loss of funding. He added that the Miami initiative had been widely regarded as a national model for caring for unaccompanied minors.

The Department of Health and Human Services defended the decision, citing a decline in the number of children in federal custody. Officials said the population has dropped to about 1,900 under the current administration, compared to a peak of 22,000 during the tenure of Joe Biden.

A department spokesperson said the government is closing and consolidating underused facilities as part of broader measures aimed at reducing irregular migration and preventing the exploitation of migrant children.