The administration of Donald Trump has ended an $11 million federal agreement with Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami, bringing to a close a long-standing partnership focused on providing shelter for unaccompanied migrant children.

The decision, conveyed in late March by the Office of Refugee Resettlement, gives the organisation a three-month deadline to relocate the children currently under its care. While the exact number of affected minors has not been made public, the move effectively dismantles a programme that has operated for decades as part of a federally supported care system for vulnerable migrants.

This action forms part of a broader tightening of immigration policies, which has also included cutting ties with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, ending years of collaboration on refugee resettlement efforts.

For many years, the Office of Refugee Resettlement, under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, depended on Catholic Charities to house and support children arriving in the country without parents or guardians. The programme functioned similarly to a foster care system, complementing state-run services.

Reacting to the development, Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski criticised the decision, describing it as a sudden termination of more than six decades of cooperation. He noted that the Miami-based programme had earned national recognition for its quality and effectiveness, warning that the funding withdrawal would likely force its closure within the stipulated timeframe.

Although government officials defended the move as part of efforts to streamline underutilised facilities and reduce illegal migration and trafficking risks, Wenski questioned the wisdom of dismantling a system he argued provides specialised care for often traumatised children.

He also referenced the organisation’s historical contributions, including its role during Operation Pedro Pan in the 1960s, which helped thousands of Cuban children resettle in the United States and build successful futures.