The Trump administration has paid out $47 million in grants to Catholic Charities Fort Worth in Texas, following ongoing lawsuits over frozen federal funds. The Catholic charity group sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services over the freezing of funds for refugee services in the state. The government had cited a “program integrity review” as the reason for the freeze, but confirmed that the review had been completed. In a joint status report, it was revealed that Catholic Charities had filed advance payment requests totaling over $47 million, which were authorized by the government.
Catholic Charities Fort Worth offers legal defense for immigrants facing removal from the U.S. and provides application assistance and consultations. The blocked funds were part of the billions of dollars frozen by President Trump in executive orders shortly after taking office, leading to lawsuits from nonprofits and aid groups. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops also sued the administration over the suspension of funding for refugee programs and had their resettlement contracts canceled by the State Department.
Multiple Catholic charity groups have announced layoffs due to the funding freezes. The bishops and other organizations continue to contest the matter in federal court. The situation has raised concerns about the overreach of executive power and the impact on refugee services. Despite the challenges, Catholic Charities Fort Worth and other organizations remain committed to providing support to immigrants and refugees in need.
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