U.S. bishops praise DHS policy change on wait times for religious worker visas January 15, 2026By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, Immigration and Migration, News, Religious Freedom, World News The Department of Homeland Security said Jan. 14 it issued an interim final rule reducing wait times for religious worker visas. Catholic advocates were among those who pushed the Trump administration to address the backlog in their visa category.
Rubio says U.S. closely working with Catholic Church to get Cuba humanitarian aid January 15, 2026By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Disaster Relief, News, World News U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Jan. 14 that the first in a series of direct humanitarian shipments to Cuba “in close partnership with the Catholic Church” would take place the same day — as well as another Jan. 16 — as the island recovers from Hurricane Melissa.
Planned Parenthood’s Title X funding restored after freeze January 14, 2026By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: News, Respect Life, World News The Trump administration “quietly released” Title X family planning funds to Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider, prompting the American Civil Liberties Union to drop its lawsuit that sought to restore the funds, Politico reported Jan. 13.
Supreme Court hears cases on Idaho, West Virginia transgender sports bans January 13, 2026By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: News, Sports, Supreme Court, World News The U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 13 heard oral arguments in two cases concerning state laws requiring student athletes to compete on sports teams that correspond to their biological sex rather than their gender identity.
Trump scheduled to meet with U.S. bishops’ president at White House January 12, 2026By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Bishops, Feature, News, World News President Donald Trump was scheduled to meet with Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Jan. 12, according to the White House schedule.
House passes extension of Obamacare subsidies for 3 years after 17 Republicans break ranks January 9, 2026By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Health Care, News, U.S. Congress, World News The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill Jan. 8 to extend enhanced health care subsidies for three years by a vote of 230-196 after 17 Republicans broke with their party’s leadership to force a vote.
Trump calls for ban on corporations buying single-family homes amid housing shortage January 9, 2026By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: News, Social Justice, World News President Donald Trump said Jan. 7 he will seek to ban corporations from buying single-family homes amid the housing shortage, an issue the U.S. bishops’ conference has said is affecting “a basic human right” nationwide.
Senate advances war powers resolution on Venezuela, may consider Greenland measure January 8, 2026By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Caribbean, News, U.S. Congress, World News The U.S. Senate on Jan. 8 advanced a war powers resolution following the Trump administration’s recent strike to remove deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from power, requiring congressional approval for Trump to take additional military action in Venezuela.
Pro-life groups push back after Trump tells House GOP to be ‘flexible’ on Hyde Amendment January 7, 2026By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Health Care, News, Respect Life, World News After President Donald Trump told House Republicans to be “flexible” on the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits public funding of elective abortions, in negotiations on health care subsidies, a key national pro-life group argued the policy should be “a minimum standard in the Republican Party.”
Wyoming Supreme Court strikes down abortion laws, including abortion pill ban January 7, 2026By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: News, Respect Life, World News The Wyoming Supreme Court on Jan. 6 found that two state laws restricting abortion — including the first state law to specifically ban chemical or medication abortions — violated the state’s constitution and could not be enforced.
As Maduro faces New York trial, uncertainty lingers for Venezuelan migrants January 6, 2026By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Caribbean, Immigration and Migration, News, World News As deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro made his first appearance Jan. 5 in a New York courtroom on narco-terrorism charges after the Trump administration carried out what President Donald Trump called on social media “a large scale strike against Venezuela,” uncertainty about immigration status lingered for some Venezuelan migrants in the U.S.
2025 brought new pope, new president, and immigration as key issue December 26, 2025By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, World News In a year that brought both a new U.S. president and a new pope, the issue of immigration emerged as a flashpoint between them and as a key issue for the U.S. church.
