Catholic Church in red from migrant grants – Washington Examiner
The United States conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has responded to claims that it financially benefits from federal grants associated with migration. Following comments from Vice President JD Vance on CBS News suggesting that the church opposes some immigration enforcement measures due to financial concerns,the USCCB emphasized that it spends more on services for migrants and refugees than it receives in grants. A review of its financial audits corroborates this, showing that in 2023, USCCB received over $129 million in government contracts but spent more than $130 million on migrant services, resulting in a financial deficit.
The USCCB clarified that while it dose receive government funding to support refugee resettlement programs, these funds do not fully cover the costs incurred. Their work is considered a ministry, prioritizing humanitarian assistance. An internal audit by KPMG supports their statement, indicating that the organization operates at a loss in its migrant assistance initiatives.
Despite the financial challenges, pressure from government funding contributes to maintaining jobs within the USCCB’s migration services. Meanwhile, other organizations benefiting substantially from federal funding for migrant services have seen their revenues swell significantly in recent years. The article also mentions that the USCCB is led by clergy who typically earn modest salaries, contrasting with leaders of other prominent NGOs in the field.
the USCCB insists its commitment to migrant and refugee assistance is centered on humanitarian efforts,despite the associated financial burdens and external criticisms.
Catholic Church pushes back on claim it financially benefits from migration grants
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has asserted that it spends more money on providing services to migrants and refugees than it receives in federal grants for that purpose. A Washington Examiner review of the USCCB’s annual financial audit forms reveals that claim to be accurate.
Claims that the Catholic Church was benefitting from federal immigration grants intensified on social media Sunday after Vice President JD Vance stated on CBS News’s Face the Nation that the USCCB may be opposing some of the Trump administration’s recent immigration enforcement orders because the church is “worried about their bottom line.”
Shortly after Vance’s interview, influential names like conservative commentator Charlie Kirk amplified similar sentiments.
“JD Vance just CALLED OUT the hypocrites who spent the last four years cashing over $100 million in government checks while remaining SILENT as countless young girls were sex trafficked, raped and murdered thanks to the Democrat’ open border,” Kirk wrote on X. Kirk’s post was viewed over 2.6 million times, and other large right-of-center voices echoed similar ideas.
The USCCB released a statement rebuking such claims.
“Every person resettled through USRAP is vetted and approved for the program by the federal government while outside of the United States,” the statement reads. “In our agreements with the government, the USCCB receives funds to do this work; however, these funds are not sufficient to cover the entire cost of these programs. Nonetheless, this remains a work of mercy and ministry of the Church.”
An internal audit of the USCCB performed by professional services firm KPMG substantiates this statement.
In 2023, for instance, the USCCB and its affiliates received $129,626,673 in funds from government contracts. The contracts, per the audit, came from a variety of federal programs aimed at helping refugees and unaccompanied migrant children. Funds awarded for these programs must be spent on activities related to their goals, according to federal records.
While the USCCB received just over $129 million in federal migration service grants, it spent more than $130.5 million on such programs, leaving the church in the red. The USCCB’s 2022 audit tells a similar story, with it receiving $122,574,428 in federal funds to serve migrants and spending $124,881,840 on such services.
The USCCB did end 2023 with a $35.3 million increase in net assets. A significant portion of these funds, however, come with “donor restrictions” meaning that they are earmarked for a specific purpose. When looking at only unrestricted funds, the USCCB increased its assets by just over $1.1 million between 2022 and 2023.
Though it is true that taking on these refugee and migrant resettlement programs leaves the Catholic Church financially worse off than it would be otherwise, there still could be internal incentives for it to keep the grant money flowing as a considerable number of USCCB employees work in areas related to its migrant programs. The USCCB has five separate offices under its “Department of Migration and Refugee Services.” Without the influx of government funds to bankroll such programs, jobs in these offices could be cut. Of the roughly $130 million the USCCB spent on migrant and refugee services in 2023, about $9.7 million went to salaries.
In addition to taking government grants for such programs, the USCCB also accepts private contributions.
The Biden administration massively increased funding for migrant and refugee resettlement services after taking power in 2021. A May 2024 Free Press investigation found that Global Refuge, Southwest Key Programs, and Endeavors, three of the most prominent migrant-focused NGOs in the world, saw their revenue grow from $597 million in 2019 to $2 billion in 2022, largely due to increased federal spending.
Each of the heads of each nonprofit organization identified by the Free Press made over $500,000 per year, with Southwest Key Programs’s top executive raking in over $1 million. The USCCB, by contrast, is led by clergy, who typically accept modest salaries.
The relationship between the Trump administration and the Catholic Church hasn’t been entirely negative. Archbishop of New York Timothy Dolan led the opening prayer at President Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, and the USCCB put out a statement on Sunday praising the administration’s anti-abortion stance.
The USCCB and the vice president’s office did not respond to requests for comment.
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