Catholic bishops say they will no longer partner with US on refugee work and children's services

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops announced Monday (April 7) that the bishops would not seek to renew agreements with the federal government for refugee resettlement and children’s services. The announcement comes after months of uncertainty about reimbursing Catholic agencies for their work with refugees, exacerbated in part by Vice President JD Vance’s allegation, in his first television interview as vice president in January, that the bishops’ true concern was for their “bottom line.”

A federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s suspension of the refugee resettlement program in late February, but at least a dozen local Catholic Charities agencies across the country have had to lay off hundreds of employees because the administration has not restarted payments.

A group of non-Catholic faith-based refugee resettlement agencies, including Church World Service, HIAS and Lutheran Community Services Northwest, have had success blocking the Trump administration’s efforts to radically reshape and diminish the refugee resettlement program, as a judge found the administration’s efforts to be a “nullification of congressional will,” but the USCCB, which filed its own suit with a narrower argument seeking to stop the Trump administration from pausing or cancelling contracts the conference, has met with less success.

Religion & Politics

Photos of the Week: Church wrestling, US protests

Stephanie Sid, aka Kiara, is proclaimed winner over Scarlett during a Kingdom Wrestling show at St. Peter's Church in Shipley, England, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

In Opinion

And finally, Trans singer Sasha Allen releases single about forgiveness, Catholic acceptance

When Sasha Allen, a trans singer, sat down to write his first release after going independent, he thought he was going to write an “eff-off” song. But the song he ended up writing, with its reflections on religious transphobia, had a different sentiment.

In “When I Forgive You,” which released Saturday (March 29), Allen imagines religious people walking back their beliefs on transgender people “at the pearly gates” and questions the level of vitriol such beliefs have provoked.

“I find it strange to hold such hatred for a stranger,” Allen, 23, sings in a rollicking song with acoustic guitar and harmonica. But then his lyrics take a turn.

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