President Donald Trump, elected in part due to his hardline immigration stance and “America First” foreign policy, has moved rapidly to reshape federal policy.

Just weeks into his new administration, Trump’s abrupt policy pivot is having a direct impact on the U.S. Catholic Church’s federally funded humanitarian outreach to both those immigrating to the United States and people in need around the world.

On Feb. 7, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops laid off 50 employees in its Migration and Refugee Services agency — reportedly one-third of the office’s staff — due to what a USCCB spokesperson characterized as “continuing uncertainty regarding refugee resettlement and the overall future of those programs.”

Meanwhile, Catholic Relief Services, which describes itself as “the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States,” is reportedly bracing to lose as much as half of its operating budget.

The administration’s broader immigration policy has also earned the ire of Pope Francis. In a Feb. 11 letter, the Pontiff harshly criticized Trump’s mass-deportation plans and also offered a corrective of a theological concept Vice President JD Vance had used to justify the administration’s “America First” approach.

More clashes between the Church and state may be in store. On the same day as the USCCB layoffs, Trump ordered a review of federal funding to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), vowing to halt spending to groups that “undermine the national interest.” 

The order promises to intensify government scrutiny of entities like Catholic Charities, Catholic Relief Services and Caritas Internationalis.

All these developments are unfolding at a dizzying pace, adding even more moving parts to already Byzantine and deeply bureaucratized U.S. government policies and practices.

To help Catholics follow these important issues, the Register offers this glossary of key players and terms that readers are sure to hear a lot more about in the weeks and months to come.

Migrant

A migrant is someone who leaves his or her home country to settle in another. Those who do so through legal channels are referred to as “legal immigrants,” while those in the U.S. without valid documentation are often called “undocumented immigrants” or “illegal aliens” in U.S. law.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes immigration as a “natural right” and teaches that wealthier nations “are obliged, to the extent they are able,” to receive those fleeing violence and material insecurity (2241). At the same time, authorities have the right to regulate immigration “for the sake of the common good,” while immigrants are required to respect their host country’s heritage and obey its laws.

Asylum-Seeker

An asylum-seeker is a non-U.S. citizen who requests refugee status at a U.S. port of entry or after arriving in the country. In recent years, there has been a surge of asylum-seekers presenting themselves at the southern border. In 2023, a record 456,750 people applied for asylum, with 54,350 granted protected status, according to government data.

Cubans, Venezuelans and Colombians accounted for nearly 50% of all asylum-seekers, but significant numbers also arrived from regions like sub-Saharan Africa and India.

During the Biden administration, asylum-seekers were often allowed to enter the U.S. after an initial screening while awaiting their immigration court hearing. Upon returning to office, Trump reinstated his “Remain in Mexico” policy, which requires asylum-seekers to stay outside the U.S. while their claims are processed.

Birthright Citizenship

Individuals are commonly granted citizenship by countries in one of two ways — and sometimes both. The first, “citizenship by descent,” is conferred based on the citizenship of an individual’s parents. The second, which Trump is seeking to end in the U.S., is “citizenship by birth,” which is granted to those born within a country’s territorial boundaries.  

Birthright citizenship is currently guaranteed through the 14th Amendment’s Citizenship Clause, which states that “all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.” Ratified in 1868 after the Civil War, the amendment was intended to reverse the Supreme Court’s 1857 Dred Scott v. Sandford decision, which had denied birthright citizenship to U.S.-born persons of African descent.  

For Trump and other Republicans, eliminating automatic citizenship for those born within U.S. territory regardless of their parents’ legal status is a crucial component of curbing illegal immigration and securing the southern border. Supporters argue that birthright citizenship incentivizes illegal border crossings, as having U.S.-born children — so-called “anchor babies” — can make deportation of other family members more difficult.

Opponents, including the USCCB, warn of the threats to the human dignity of the innocent children involved. In particular, they argue that ending birthright citizenship would create an underclass of “stateless” children. Many legal experts doubt that Trump’s proposal will succeed, but the conservative makeup of the Supreme Court makes repeal a possibility, however remote.  

Catholic Charities

What is collectively referred to as “Catholic Charities” is, in fact, a network of 168 independent member agencies across the country. Each agency is led by its local bishop and acts as the local Church’s official charitable arm, providing a wide range of services, including, in some cases, migrant assistance and refugee resettlement.

Based in Washington, D.C., Catholic Charities USA is a membership organization that provides resources, training and representation to network members, not all of which operate under the “Catholic Charities” name, such as Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona.

Some Catholic Charities agencies are subcontracted by the USCCB to participate in federally funded refugee-resettlement programs. Some local Catholic Charities entities also receive federal funds to provide shelter and services to migrants processed by the government.

Because Catholic Charities is involved in both refugee resettlement and migrant services, Trump’s policy shifts are likely to impact agencies in both ways.

For instance, the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston has already reportedly cut 20% of its staff in response to the refugee resettlement freeze. Meanwhile, Catholic Charities USA leadership is bracing for Trump to follow through on his promise to “permanently cut off funding” to groups that provide migration services.

It remains unclear whether this proposal, initially blocked by a judge, would affect only migrant services or also impact federal funding for broader efforts to serve the poor and vulnerable.

Catholic Relief Services

What Catholic Charities agencies are to the United States, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is to the rest of the world.

According to its website, CRS serves 200 million people across 121 countries on five continents. The organization partners with groups around the world to strengthen local communities’ agricultural capabilities, educate underserved groups like refugees and women, and provide humanitarian aid in times of crisis. Each Lent, its well-known Rice Bowl program raises funds to help alleviate world hunger.

Based in Baltimore, CRS has 420 employees in the U.S. and 7,000 worldwide, according to The Baltimore Banner, though CRS officials expect “to have a much smaller organization” due to Trump’s funding cuts.

According to an independent audit, CRS had a revenue of $1.2 billion in 2023, with $521 million coming from U.S. government grants and agreements. The same audit found “a significant deficiency in internal controls,” suggesting “a limited ability to track and report financial data reliably.”

Caritas Internationalis

Caritas Internationalis is a global network of 162 Catholic aid agencies, headquartered in the Vatican. Newly created Cardinal Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, the archbishop of Tokyo, is the president of the organization, which is the second-largest humanitarian network in the world.

Both Catholic Charities USA and CRS are member organizations of Caritas Internationalis. Benedict Alo D’Rozario, the president of Caritas Asia, has said that cuts to U.S. foreign aid are already affecting Caritas’ work, especially in refugee and immigration programs across the region.

Deportation

Deportation, according to the U.S. government, “is the process of removing a noncitizen from the U.S. for violating immigration law.”

Trump has promised to engage in the “mass deportation” of an estimated 11 million people believed to be in the country illegally, starting with those who have committed crimes.

The proposal has drawn strong opposition from Church leaders. Cardinal Robert McElroy, soon to become the archbishop of Washington, said mass deportation is “incompatible with Catholic doctrine.” Meanwhile, the bishops of Minnesota said in a joint statement that the “simplistic calculus” of deporting individuals based solely on their legal status “is unjust.”

Federal Grants

Federal grants are funds provided by the U.S. government to carry out specific government-approved projects or initiatives.

Catholic entities have long received government grants for projects that align with the Church’s mission, including adoption services, school lunches for low-income students, and — especially during the Biden administration — refugee placement and migration services.

In his 2005 encyclical Deus Caritas Est, Pope Benedict XVI wrote that “cooperation between State and Church agencies” can be fruitful, while also emphasizing that the Church’s charitable work must remain distinctively Catholic.

ICE

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) says its mission “is to protect America from the cross-border crime and illegal immigration that threaten national security and public safety.”

The agency carries out arrests of those suspected of violating U.S. immigration law, and Trump has reportedly increased pressure on the agency to pick up its pace of immigration arrests.

Ordo Amoris Latin for “the order of love,” this theological concept has been referenced by both Pope Francis and Vice President Vance in the context of immigration policy.

Rooted in the thought of St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, ordo amoris emphasizes a hierarchical ordering of love that is both universal and concretely applied in the context of particular responsibilities.

Vance, a Catholic convert, invoked the term in a Jan. 30 social-media post, arguing that the U.S. government should prioritize its own citizens first. Pope Francis responded on Feb. 11, citing the “good Samaritan” as the model and saying the “true ordo amoris” emphasizes a love that is open to all.

Refugee Under U.S. law, a refugee is a noncitizen “of special humanitarian concern to the United States” who demonstrates past persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution due to factors like race, religion or political opinion. They must also be unable or unwilling to return to their home country.

In 2023, the U.S. admitted 60,050 refugees, according to government data. Most came from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria, Afghanistan and Burma — nations experiencing significant civil unrest and conflict.

On his first day in office, Trump suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), citing concerns over domestic security and available resources. His executive order emphasized that refugee resettlement should align “with the interests of the United States.”

Pope Francis, in his recent letter, underscored that Christ himself lived as a refugee, emphasizing his closeness to those who flee their homes today.

‘Sensitive Locations’

“Sensitive locations” refers to places like churches and schools where certain immigration enforcement actions, like making arrests, have historically been limited.

Trump rescinded these customary protections upon taking office, prompting significant pushback from Catholic and other religious leaders.

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

The USCCB is a significant recipient and disperser of government funds related to immigration and refugee resettlement.

According to an audit of its finances from 2022-2023, the USCCB received more than $117 million in government funding for “migration and refugee services,” accounting for 90% of the $130 million it spent on migrant-related services.

The USCCB’s Department of Migrant and Refugee Services (MRS) is responsible for resettling about 18% of the refugees admitted to the U.S. each year. To carry out this mission, it subcontracts with 65 affiliated entities, most of which are Catholic Charities agencies, to place refugees in local communities designated by the federal government.

Additionally, the USCCB operates programs aimed at preventing human trafficking of migrants and promoting family unification.

USAID

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is a U.S. government entity responsible for distributing foreign aid. Citing its promotion of causes like abortion, contraception and LGBTQ ideology, the Trump administration has moved quickly to freeze USAID spending. However, the move also affected programs like PEPFAR, a fund dedicated to combating the spread of HIV, particularly in Africa.

In 2023, USAID’s budget was $43.4 billion, according to the Congressional Research Service. Many Catholic organizations, like CRS and Caritas, rely heavily on its funding. CRS is the single largest recipient of USAID funds, with government grants accounting for 50%-60% of its budget.

Peter Laffin contributed to this story.