The U.S. government has suddenly decided to end over 60 years of partnership with Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of Miami, said Archbishop Thomas Wenski. “The Archdiocese of Miami’s services for unaccompanied minors have been widely recognized for their high quality and have served as a model for other organizations nationwide.”
“Our history of helping this vulnerable group is unmatched.
But now, the Archdiocese of Miami’s Catholic Charities program for unaccompanied minors has lost its funding and will have to close in three months,” he added.
For years, the Department of Homeland Security, through its Office of Refugee Resettlement, has paid Catholic Charities in Miami to provide housing for children who come to the U.S. without adult caregivers.
The Miami Herald calls this program essentially a “federally funded foster care system.”
Bishop Wenski said that even though there has been a recent drop in the number of unaccompanied minors, “it’s confusing that the U.S. government would shut down a program that would be hard for them to replace with the same level of skill.”
Robert Latham, associate director of the University of Miami Law School’s Children and Youth Law Clinic, warned that cutting funding and possibly relocating the children could have serious effects on their mental health.
“It’s very harmful to move kids around,” he said.
“For young children, moving often causes problems with forming relationships and makes them feel disconnected from themselves and others. They don’t know who they are or where they’re going.”
“This should only happen with a lot of emotional support, like you’d find in a family.
Unfortunately, that kind of support isn’t available in a group home setting,” Latham added.
Of course, Donald Trump doesn’t care about the suffering of children.
He was friends with Jeffrey Epstein for years and was accused of sexual abuse himself. He started the Iran War by bombing a school where girls were inside, and his administration has worked to cut funding from programs that provide food, education, and shelter for children.
While the administration hasn’t officially said the funding cuts are revenge against Pope Leo, the connection is clear.
Trump is the most vindictive president ever. He has been attacking Pope Leo for criticizing his Iran War. This is him using financial pressure to try to force the Pope into submission. It won’t work.
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