The United States government under President Donald Trump has cancelled an $11 million federal contract with Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami, ending a decades-long partnership focused on sheltering and caring for unaccompanied migrant children in Florida.

What happened

According to reports from the Miami Herald, the Office of Refugee Resettlement under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) informed Catholic Charities in late March that the contract would be terminated.

The programme, which functioned as a federally funded foster care system for migrant children arriving in the US without parents or guardians, is expected to shut down within three months.

The decision ends a partnership that dates back more than 60 years.

Why the decision was taken

HHS officials said the move is part of ongoing efforts to reduce costs and consolidate migrant care facilities as the number of unaccompanied minors in federal custody declines.

A spokesperson noted that daily numbers have dropped to about 1,900 under the Trump administration, compared to a peak of 22,000 during the Biden years.

Officials also linked the decision to broader immigration enforcement and anti-smuggling policies, although Catholic Charities was not directly accused of wrongdoing.

Church reacts

Archbishop of Miami, Most Revd Thomas Wenski, described the decision as sudden and unexpected, warning that it could disrupt a long-standing humanitarian system.

“The US government has abruptly decided to end more than 60 years of relationship with Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of Miami,” he said.

He added that the organisation had built a strong track record in caring for vulnerable children, calling its service “unmatched” in quality and consistency.

What the programme handled

The Miami-based initiative included an 81-bed children’s facility in Miami-Dade County and provided foster care placement, trauma support, and family reunification services for migrant children.

Its origins trace back to the 1960s, including Operation Pedro Pan, a US-Catholic Church effort that helped relocate thousands of Cuban children fleeing the Castro regime.

Wider tensions

The development comes amid reported tensions between the Trump administration and the leadership of the Catholic Church.

Earlier this week, President Trump criticised Pope Leo XIV, calling him “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy,” comments the Pope responded to by saying he was not afraid of the administration.

What next

Catholic officials have questioned the decision, arguing that replacing such a long-standing and specialised system will be difficult.

“It is baffling that the US government would shut down a programme that it would be hard-pressed to replicate,” Archbishop Wenski said.