The Catholic bishops of the United States have filed a lawsuit against the administration of Donald Trump because of the unexpected termination of funding for refugee resettlement programs. This is reported by AP, according to UNN.
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They consider this decision illegal and damaging both to the newcomers themselves and to the country's largest private initiative to support migrants.
According to representatives of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, the government stopped payments without explanation, without even reimbursing expenses incurred before the funding was suspended. According to the plaintiffs, this is contrary to current laws and constitutional norms, as Congress has already approved the allocation of funds for this purpose.
Due to the financial crisis caused by this decision, the Migration and Refugee Service is forced to cut more than half of its staff - 50 employees have already received notice of dismissal. It is expected that the local offices of Catholic charitable organizations that cooperate with the national office will also be affected by the cuts.
The Catholic Church in the United States has long been involved in helping the most vulnerable populations, including refugees. Representatives of the bishops emphasize that the withdrawal of funding impedes the realization of this mission, undermines humanitarian initiatives and leaves thousands of people without support at a critical time in their lives.