The Donald Trump administration has suddenly canceled an $11 million contract with Catholic Charities to shelter and care for migrant children who enter the U.S. alone. This ends a relationship between the Catholic Church and the U.S. government that goes back more than 60 years. The program will be forced to shut down within three months. The funding cut comes at a time of growing tension between the Trump administration and American Catholics. At the center of this conflict is Trump’s open criticism of the Vatican’s first American pope, Leo XIV. The pope has spoken out against the U.S. war with Iran and shown strong support for migrants, which has put him directly at odds with the current administration. According to the Miami Herald, Archbishop Thomas Wenski of the Archdiocese of Miami did not hold back in his response. In a statement shared with the Miami Herald’s editorial board, Wenski wrote, “The U.S. government has abruptly decided to end more than 60 years of relationship with Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of Miami.” He added that the services provided for unaccompanied minors were recognized for their quality and served as a model for other agencies across the country. Cutting this program puts vulnerable migrant children at serious psychological risk The Department of Health and Human Services defended the decision by pointing to a decline in the number of unaccompanied migrant children in the system. Press secretary Emily G. Hillard said the agency is closing and consolidating unused facilities as part of its efforts to stop illegal entry and trafficking. But Wenski noted that it is hard to understand why the government would shut down a program that would be difficult to replace at the same level of quality. This is part of a broader pattern of Trump’s administration canceling Catholic charity funding that has alarmed church leaders nationwide. Trump has suddenly canceled funding for Catholic charities that support homeless children amid his feud with the Pope. pic.twitter.com/5Leb3p4PjQ— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) April 16, 2026 Robert Latham, associate director of the University of Miami Law School’s Children and Youth Law Clinic, warned that moving these children carries serious risks. “It’s incredibly psychologically harmful to be moved,” Latham said, noting that such transitions can be as stressful as a death in the family. He explained that for young children, constant movement destroys their sense of self and community, leading to long-term bonding issues. The Catholic Church’s work with migrant children goes back decades. In 1959, following the rise of Fidel Castro, the church and the U.S. State Department launched Operation Pedro Pan to fly thousands of Cuban children to safety. Many of those children grew up to become prominent leaders in South Florida. Wenski pointed out that the positive impact of this cooperation is clearly visible in the lives of those former Pedro Pan children. Finding new homes and shelters for the children currently in the care of Catholic Charities will not be easy. Esther Jacobo, director of the Citrus Family Care Network, noted that it could take three to six months for any agency to get a new child welfare program up and running. “You have to recruit people – and not everyone is suited to be a foster parent,” Jacobo said. She highlighted that the process involves thorough training and licensing to keep children safe. Senate Majority Leader John Thune on President Trump attacking the Pope:“I’d leave the church alone.”Source: NOTUS pic.twitter.com/n7SWZSpZiv— Politics & Poll Tracker (@PollTracker2024) April 13, 2026 As the conflict between Trump and Pope Leo XIV continues to grow, the effects are being felt across the country. Trump has also publicly mocked Pope Leo XIV as a weak leader, even suggesting he would do a better job running the Catholic Church himself. According to ABC News, many of Trump’s fellow Republicans are unhappy with the President’s sudden confrontation with the Pope and the Vatican. His recent social media posts, including a now-removed AI-generated image of himself as a Christ-like figure, have drawn strong criticism from Catholic leaders and organizations. The decision to cut funding from a program with such a long history of service suggests that the tension between the administration and the Catholic Church is far from over, and the children caught in the middle are the ones paying the price.