Trump administration terminates US bishops’ refugee resettlement contract
written by Gina Christian
(OSV News) — The Trump administration “immediately terminated” its contract with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for refugee resettlement, effective Feb. 27, according to letters issued by the U.S. State Department a day earlier.
Chieko Noguchi, executive director of the USCCB’s Office of Public Affairs, confirmed the cancellation, telling OSV News by Feb. 28 email that “on Feb. 26, the USCCB received notice from the State Department that they are terminating two of the cooperative agreements that fund much of the work we do in our Migration and Refugee Services department.”
The contract had been suspended by the administration Jan. 24, just four days after President Donald Trump signed an executive order halting the U.S. Refugee Assistance Program.
Congress Created Program in 1980
USRAP, a domestic program, was established by Congress in 1980 to formalize the process by which refugees vetted and approved by the U.S. government are legally resettled in the U.S. The program is an interagency effort that includes federal entities, the United Nations and nongovernmental organizations such as the Catholic Church.
https://www.osvnews.com/trump-administration-terminates-us-bishops-refugee-resettlement-contract/
