[Catholic News Agency – CNA] – The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) on Sunday argued that its long-standing refugee program is a “work of mercy” after Vice President JD Vance criticized the bishops’ positions on immigration issues.
Vance had made the remarks during an interview on Sunday with Margaret Brennan on CBS News’ “Face the Nation.”
Brennan had asked Vance, who is Catholic, about the USCCB’s criticism last week of the Trump administration’s various directives on immigration, specifically the government’s rescinding of the policy that restricted immigration arrests at “sensitive locations” such as churches.
Vance responded that “as a practicing Catholic” he was “heartbroken” by the bishops’ criticisms.
“And I think that the [USCCB] needs to actually look in the mirror a little bit and recognize that when they receive over $100 million to help resettle illegal immigrants, are they worried about humanitarian concerns?” Vance continued. “Or are they actually worried about their bottom line? We’re going to enforce immigration law. We’re going to protect the American people.”
Asked if he believed the U.S. bishops are “actively hiding criminals from law enforcement,” Vance argued that the USCCB has “not been a good partner in commonsense immigration enforcement that the American people voted for, and I hope, again, as a devout Catholic, that they’ll do better.”
Brennan also asked Vance about the Trump administration’s rollback of U.S. refugee admissions. Vance told Brennan that not all the refugees have been “properly vetted.”
“In fact, we know that there are cases of people who allegedly were properly vetted and then were literally planning terrorist attacks in our country,” Vance argued. “So clearly, not all of these foreign nationals have been properly vetted.”
Catholic Bishops: Refugee program is ‘ministry of the Church’
The USCCB on Sunday argued that its own work with refugees is part of a “long history” of Catholic advocacy for vulnerable migrants.
“In 1980, the bishops of the United States began partnering with the federal government to carry out this service when Congress created the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP),” the bishops said in the statement, which did not mention Vance.
“Every person resettled through USRAP is vetted and approved for the program by the federal government while outside of the United States,” they said.
“In our agreements with the government, the USCCB receives funds to do this work; however, these funds are not sufficient to cover the entire cost of these programs.”
“Nonetheless, this remains a work of mercy and ministry of the Church,” the bishops said.
Though the U.S. bishops last week praised some of Trump’s directives such as his order asserting the “biological reality of sex,” USCCB President Archbishop Timothy Broglio said in a statement last week that he took issue with other orders from the White House, such as the immigration directives and the White House’s withdrawing from the Paris Agreement climate accord.
Those orders “are deeply troubling and will have negative consequences, many of which will harm the most vulnerable among us,” Broglio argued.
Cardinal Dolan response
By Jonah McKeown, Catholic News Agency
[Catholic News Agency] – Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York strongly criticized comments Vice President JD Vance made Jan. 26, questioning the motives of U.S. Catholic bishops in their efforts to serve migrants and resettle refugees, in which Vance suggested financial incentives were their driving force rather than compassion.
Dolan on Jan. 28, 2025 expressed frustration over Vance’s implication that the bishops’ pro-immigrant stance was merely a financial calculation, calling the comments “scurrilous” and “very nasty.”
“I was really disappointed with what he said on ‘Face the Nation’ the other day. And I don’t mind telling you, somewhat hurt. This was not only harmful, this was inaccurate. You heard what he said: ‘Oh, the bishops, they’re pro-immigrant because of the bottom line, because they’re making money off this.’ That’s just scurrilous. It’s very nasty, and it’s not true,” Dolan said, speaking on his weekly SiriusXM show “Conversations with Cardinal Dolan.”
Dolan said the Church’s involvement in migration and refugee services is frequently at the behest of secular leaders such as mayors and governors, who he said recognize the Church’s ability to manage resources efficiently and transparently.
“You want to come look at our audits, which are scrupulously done? You think we make money caring for the immigrants? We’re losing it hand over fist … we’re not in a money-making business,” Dolan continued.
The USCCB recently defended its long-standing refugee program as a “work of mercy,” pointing out that every person they help to resettle “is vetted and approved for the program by the federal government while outside of the United States” and reiterating that despite the large sums of money involved, the costs of refugee resettlement often exceed the government’s reimbursement.
In 2023, the latest year for which figures are available, the USCCB spent nearly $131 million on migration and refugee services, with nearly $130 million of that cost being covered by government grants, primarily from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of State.
Despite his disappointment, Dolan expressed hope that Vance’s comments were uncharacteristic and not reflective of Vance’s usual thoughtful demeanor. Dolan also acknowledged, with appreciation, Vance’s supportive stances on Catholic family life and education. “I hope it was an uncharacteristic moment. I thought it was a letdown,” the cardinal concluded.
The work of the U.S. bishops and the major humanitarian agency Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) as related to migrants and refugees has been vigorously debated in recent days amid the U.S. Office of Management and Budget’s new — and now-rescinded — spending freeze on federal grants to nonprofit organizations, first announced Jan. 27.
Catholic Charities, which is composed of 168 diocesan agencies, serves millions of people in need each year across the country by providing affordable housing, food, and disaster relief, as well as immigration services. In addition to donations and other sources, some Catholic Charities agency programs are partially funded through federal aid.
The president of CCUSA had this week urged the Trump administration to “rethink” its pause on federal funding, noting the “millions of Americans who rely on this life-giving support.”
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