Faith groups sue over Trump administration policy to permit ICE arrests at churches February 12, 2025By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, Immigration and Migration, News, Religious Freedom, World News More than two dozen Christian and Jewish groups filed a lawsuit Feb. 11 in federal court to challenge a Trump administration policy that rescinded long-standing restrictions on Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from making arrests at what are seen as sensitive locations, including houses of worship, schools and hospitals.
Red state death penalty repeal efforts emerge despite Trump’s order to expand use of the practice February 11, 2025By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, World News Efforts to repeal the death penalty have been introduced in two Republican-led states, with some lawmakers citing their Catholic faith as a factor in their opposition to capital punishment. The efforts come even as President Donald Trump has moved to expand the use of the practice.
Third federal judge blocks Trump administration’s effort to end birthright citizenship February 10, 2025By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Immigration and Migration, News, World News After two federal judges in two days blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to rescind birthright citizenship, a third federal judge followed suit on Feb. 10.
USCCB lays off a third of migration staff after Trump’s suspension of refugee resettlement program February 10, 2025By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Bishops, Feature, Immigration and Migration, News, World News The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued layoff notices to about a third of the staff in its Migration and Refugee Services Office on Feb. 7 after it stopped receiving reimbursements from the federal government for its work with refugees who qualify for federal assistance, per an internal memo.
In 2 days, 2 judges block Trump administration’s effort to end birthright citizenship February 6, 2025By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Immigration and Migration, News, World News Two federal judges in two days blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to rescind birthright citizenship.
Trump at National Prayer Breakfast announces new order to investigate ‘anti-Christian’ bias February 6, 2025By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News President Donald Trump said in remarks to the National Prayer Breakfast Feb. 6 that he would create a task force, led by Attorney General Pam Bondi, to investigate “anti-Christian” bias in the federal government.
Future of USAID unclear as concern mounts over agency’s ongoing tumult February 6, 2025By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Catholic Social Teaching, Feature, Missions, News, World News Concern is mounting that the ongoing tumult at the U.S. Agency for International Development is jeopardizing lives and livelihoods supported by the government’s humanitarian aid agency in countries all over the globe, including those assisted by Catholic and other faith-based humanitarian groups.
Vance defends cuts to foreign aid ‘spreading atheism’ at religious freedom summit February 6, 2025By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Religious Freedom, World News Vice President JD Vance defended cuts to U.S. foreign aid in remarks to the International Religious Freedom Summit Feb. 5, arguing the funds were “spreading atheism” abroad.
Audited financials show claims the church profits from refugee work ‘just wrong’ January 31, 2025By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Catholic Charities, Feature, Immigration and Migration, News, World News Claims that the U.S. bishops’ conference profits from its partnership with the government to assist refugee populations that qualify for federal assistance, and that the Catholic Church facilitates illegal immigration are “just wrong,” said William Canny, the U.S. bishops’ migration director.
Senators grill RFK Jr. on abortion, vaccine views in HHS confirmation hearings January 31, 2025By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, Health Care, News, Respect Life, U.S. Congress, World News In a pair of January confirmation hearings, senators considered President Donald Trump’s nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for secretary of Health and Human Services.
Trump order against youth gender transition hailed by U.S. bishops’ family life head January 30, 2025By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: News, Respect Life, World News In a move welcomed by the U.S. bishops’ chair on family life, President Donald Trump Jan. 28 signed an executive order stating his administration would seek to prohibit certain types of medical or surgical gender reassignment procedures for minors who identify as transgender.
Lifesaving HIV/AIDS program’s future uncertain amid stop-and-start foreign aid pause January 29, 2025By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Health Care, News, World News The future of PEPFAR, the U.S. government’s global effort to combat HIV/AIDS, has been called into question amid a broader pause on foreign assistance and allegations from some Republican lawmakers that the Biden administration improperly allowed some of its funding to be spent on abortions.
