The Archdiocese of Miami is making a desperate plea to the federal government, asking it to reconsider the cancellation of an $11 million contract with Catholic Charities that funds a shelter for unaccompanied migrant children in South Florida.
The funding, which supports Catholic Charities’ Bryan O. Walsh Children’s Village, was cut by the Office of Refugee Resettlement within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a longtime partner of the organization. The Archdiocese says they are still waiting for an explanation for why the funding was cut.
The Archdiocese insists the decision is not related to a recent exchange between Pope Leo and President Trump over a now-deleted AI-generated photo. An Archdiocese spokesperson stated that while the reason for the cut remains a “mystery,” it is “not because of the recent dust-up between the Pope and President Trump”.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski of the Archdiocese of Miami criticized the action. “You don’t end a program, especially a program that has the success record that Catholic Charities does, because you’ll be hard-pressed to reinstitute it when another wave of unaccompanied minors comes about,” Wenski said.
The Bryan O. Walsh Children’s Village can house up to 81 children. While occupancy numbers are currently low, the church noted that people living in nearby Cuba and Haiti could soon require their assistance. Children currently in the shelter’s care will be transferred to other, fully-funded organizations.
Peter Routsis-Arroyo, CEO of Miami Catholic Charities, said the ultimate victims are the children. “The Catholic Church certainly will go on. Who loses? The children lose. The kids lose. The government loses,” he said.
The church confirmed it will not file an appeal or a lawsuit over the decision, but is simply asking the government to reconsider.
