US Conference of Catholic Bishops sues Trump
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops filed a lawsuit against Trump.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has worked with the U.S. Department of State's Office of Refugee and Immigration Populations for more than fifty years, receiving about $65 million in federal funding annually, but in January, Donald Trump ordered a halt to foreign aid.
The conference has also filed a lawsuit in the District Court of Washington in response to the order to cut aid to refugees and due to budget cuts. According to the conference, they received a two-page letter stating that the budget would be cut, even though they had previously made commitments to refugees based on their regular budget.
“As a Catholic, I believe the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops needs to take a moment to look in the mirror and determine whether the millions of dollars it receives to help resettle illegal immigrants is driven by humanitarian concerns or by a vested interest,” former Vice President Mike Pence said in an interview last month about the refugee funding. “I will be frank and say that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has not been a good partner in implementing the wise immigration policies that the American people voted for. As a Catholic, I hope they do better.”
The Catholic Bishops' Conference's lawsuit to the court also states: "The conference has already been forced to lay off 50 employees and faces irreparable damage to its long-term refugee resettlement programs, its reputation, and its relationships with the recipients of these aid and the refugee population it serves."
