Catholic Bishops Oppose Trump Administration's Tougher Checks on Child Sponsors

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., challenging his plan to tighten sponsor screening for unaccompanied alien children. General counsel William Quinn warned that identity checks and income verification could erect “excessive barriers” to family reunification, especially for non-citizen sponsors who may lack conventional documents. The bishops contend that the policy would extend the time children spend in federal custody and exclude otherwise eligible relatives.

They reference past incidents where children were placed with traffickers and abusers, highlighting cases of sexual assault and exploitation. The USCCB has been paid more than $250 million since 2008 for arranging placements, a fact the bishops’ critics say underscores a conflict of interest. The debate centers on balancing child safety with the practical challenges of sponsor verification.