Miami Archdiocese Pleads with the U.S. Government to Restore Funding for Migrant Children via Catholic Charities
Archbishop Wenski Urges U.S. to Restore Funding for Migrant Children’s Program
Feature News | April 16, 2026 MIAMI — Archbishop Thomas Wenski is calling on the federal government to reconsider the abrupt cancellation of an $11 million contract with Catholic Charities, warning that the loss of funds threatens vital care for unaccompanied minors.
The decision ends a 65-year partnership that began with the historic Operation Pedro Pan in 1960, which helped resettle 14,000 Cuban children. Archbishop Wenski described the move as "baffling," noting that the program’s expertise and infrastructure cannot be easily replicated.
Key Impacts of the Funding Cut:
Imminent Closure: Without alternative funding, the program must shut down within three months.
Loss of Capacity: The Msgr. Bryan O. Walsh Children’s Village, which can house 81 children, will no longer serve this population.
Expertise at Risk: Decades of specialized staff training and proven infrastructure will be dismantled.
A Sudden Departure
Peter Routsis-Arroyo, CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami, stated the agency received no warning. "We were negotiating a new budget right up to the time of the cancellation," he said. The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) informed the agency by email on March 24 that their application—though high-scoring—was not selected for renewal.
Community and Political Support
Florida Representatives María Elvira Salazar and Carlos Giménez have urged the ORR to reconsider, citing South Florida’s role as the frontline for humanitarian migration.
For many, the crisis is personal. Javier Llorens and Graciela Anrrich, both board members and survivors of the original Operation Pedro Pan, emphasized that the program provides more than just shelter. "It was care, education, and formation," said Llorens. "Without it, children are left without support to integrate into this country."
Current Status
The facility is currently transitioning its final residents to other centers. While Catholic Charities is seeking a 90-day no-cost extension to manage staff transitions and case files, the federal process currently offers no formal path for appeal. Unless the government reverses its decision, the nation’s longest-running program for unaccompanied minors faces permanent closure.
Edited from Source: https://www.miamiarch.org/CatholicDiocese.php?op=Article_archdiocese-of-miami-archbishop-wenski-urges-us-to-reconsider-funding-cut-for-childrens-program
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