Miami Catholic Charities laying off 80+ after government ends funding
Miami Catholic Charities laying off 80+ after government ends funding
Sarah Perkel, USA TODAY NETWORKTue, April 28, 2026 at 1:13 PM UTC
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A facility run by the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami is closing after the Trump administration ended a funding program for unaccompanied children.
That’s according to a notice filed in accordance with the Florida Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act on April 27. Layoffs will affect 84 employees beginning May 31 at Msgr. Bryan Walsh Children’s Village, and will be permanent. According to the notice, all staff working at the facility were included in the reduction in force.
“Please be advised that the Administration for Children and Families' Office of Refugee Resettlement terminated its funding contract with Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami,” reads the letter included in the WARN notice, signed by Devika Austin, Chief Administrative Officer at the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami.
“Due to these unforeseen circumstances, the funding for our Refugee Resettlement Program was terminated and Catholic Charities had to make the difficult decision to close the Msgr. Bryan Walsh Children’s Village,” the statement continued.
Where is the Msgr. Bryan Walsh Children’s Village?
The Msgr. Bryan Walsh Children’s Village is located at 9525 Sterling Drive in Cutler Bay, Florida.
Why did the administration say funding wasn't renewed?
The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), under the Department of Health and Human Services, has been a long-time source of funding for the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami under the unaccompanied children program. The Catholic Charities received $11 million from HHS in fiscal year 2025, according to federal spending data, but the award ended as of March 31.
Thomas Wenski, archbishop of the Archdiocese of Miami, asked for the decision to be reviewed in an April 16 opinion piece published to the organization’s website. In it, he wrote that the archdiocese has worked with the ORR since 1960 to provide shelter, among other services, to unaccompanied minor children.
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Wenski added that the Catholic Charities of Miami would be forced to end their services caring for unaccompanied children immigrating to the U.S. if funding was not restored within three months.
HHS press secretary Emily Hilliard said the number of unaccompanied children in ORR care dropped under the Trump administration when asked about the decision to end the funding.
"ORR is closing and consolidating unused facilities as the Trump Administration continues efforts to stop illegal entry and the smuggling and trafficking of unaccompanied alien children," Hilliard said. The decision not to renew the contract took place on Feb. 16, according to HHS.
“We are deeply grateful for your contributions and service to Catholic Charities and in particular the children and families that we have served at the Children’s Village,” the WARN notice read. “We share in your disappointment. We are committed to supporting you during this transition and will do our best to provide resources and assistance as you move forward.”
The Archdiocese of Miami did not immediately respond to a request for comment from USA TODAY.
Sarah Perkel is a South Florida Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network's Florida Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Miami Catholic Charities has mass layoffs after Trump admin ends funds
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