The Trump administration has ended an $11 million federal contract with Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami, bringing a decades-long partnership to a close. The agreement had allowed the organization to provide shelter and care for unaccompanied migrant children in the United States. Following the decision, the agency has been given three months to relocate the children currently under its care, though the exact number affected has not been disclosed.

The termination, communicated in late March by the Office of Refugee Resettlement, is part of a broader immigration policy shift. The administration has also cut ties with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, ending another long-standing collaboration on refugee resettlement. Officials say the move is aimed at consolidating underused facilities and addressing concerns about illegal entry and human trafficking involving minors.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services noted that the number of unaccompanied migrant children in federal care has dropped sharply—from about 22,000 under the previous administration to around 1,900 currently—reducing the need for such programs.

However, Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski strongly criticized the decision, calling it abrupt and warning it would force the shutdown of a highly regarded program within three months. He emphasized that Catholic Charities had over 60 years of experience and was widely seen as a national model for caring for vulnerable children, many of whom arrive traumatized. Wenski also highlighted the organization’s historical contributions, including its role in Operation Pedro Pan during the 1960s.

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