On Monday, April 7, Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio (CCSWO) was informed that, due to recent decisions and actions by the federal government, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) would not renew the cooperative agreements with the federal government related to the ongoing care and support of refugees and unaccompanied immigrant children. While the impact of this situation has been unfolding for the last several months, this news marks a sad moment in our nation’s long-standing history of humanitarian responses to those in need.
Since its founding in 1916, Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio has put God’s love into action by serving and empowering people from all backgrounds in their times of vulnerability. For over a century, staff, volunteers and supporters have accompanied those in need to move from crisis to stability and from vulnerability to self-sufficiency. In 2024, we served nearly 22,000 individuals in Southwestern Ohio through a wide variety of programs that engage the community in building solidarity.
Since 1980, Catholic Charities has been a designated refugee resettlement agency in Southwestern Ohio, having welcomed over 12,000 refugees to the area. Last year, we resettled 311 refugees sent to us from countries across the world. These families have faced some of the most tragic situations on earth and often languished in refugee camps for years before having the opportunity to build their lives anew in a safer place. On January 20, 2025, refugee admissions were paused by the federal government; subsequently, the US Department of State terminated its cooperative agreement with USCCB. This resulted in the cancellation of flights for 14 refugee families whom we were expected to welcome to Cincinnati. The recent news of this week does not change this situation for us in Southwestern Ohio other than to bring a sense of finality that the USCCB no longer expects to be resettling refugees or providing ongoing support through a government partnership for a time.
Furthermore, by request of the USCCB, in partnership with the federal government, CCSWO, through its Su Casa Hispanic Center has provided home study/post-release services (HSPRS) for unaccompanied children whom were placed with loved ones in our area. These lifesaving supports have assisted youth as they become acclimated to life in our community, connecting them to school, health and behavioral health care, and other social services. The services have been a bulwark against exploitation and human trafficking of vulnerable youth. Due to this recent announcement, Catholic Charities has been asked to end its services for unaccompanied children, no later than June 30, 2025.
CCSWO is also currently waiting for over $300,000 from the federal government for services already rendered for refugees and unaccompanied children under its active contracts. While such an inexplicable halt of payments may have led to homelessness or loss of critical support to those families already sent by the government to our area, the strength of our agency and the resolve of our community will ensure these families are not simply left behind. Our staff, volunteers and supporters remain committed to those we’ve recently welcomed, and we will continue to support them through existing programs, such as case management, workforce development, immigration legal services, and mental health services. At the moment, there is still a limited amount of federal and local government support contributing to this work. In addition, we are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support already received, and we encourage continuing solidarity through donations, volunteerism, education and – above all – prayer.
Holy Scripture calls us to steadfast constancy in charity. “Give generously to [the poor] and do so without a grudging heart … [and] the Lord your God will bless you in all your work” (Deuteronomy 15:9-10). Jesus said, “When you give a feast, invite the poor … and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you” (Luke 14:12-14).
Catholic Charities will carry on cheerfully and seeking the face of Christ face in the margins of society in our brothers and sisters. Our mission is competent and confident, because it is grounded forever in this faith. To help, please contact Dan Sarell, Director of Mission Advancement at dsarell@ccswoh.org or 513-672-3710.