Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami (CCADM) said it will cut more than 80 jobs after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declined to renew an $11 million federal contract.
“HHS will lay off 85 staff members by May 31, 2026 if Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami does not renew funding,” the organization’s CEO Peter Rautsis-Arroyo said in a statement to EWTN News.
Another 20 employees will be let go on June 30, he said.
for decades, CCADM Partnered with the federal government to serve vulnerable children and families. A relationship of more than 65 years that began with the expiration of the contract ended operation pedro panWhich resettled approximately 14,000 Cuban children fleeing the Castro regime to the United States.
The announcement comes after CCADM Chief Administrative Officer Devika Austin wrote on April 24 that CCADM “had to make the difficult decision to close MSGR Brian Walsh Children’s Village.” Letter.
Msgr. Brian O. Walsh Children’s VillageFormerly known as Boys Town, is a CCADM program that shelters unaccompanied, undocumented immigrant children, with a capacity to house up to 81 children.
It is astonishing that the U.S. government would shut down a program that would be difficult to replicate at the level of capacity and excellence achieved by Catholic Charities if future waves of unaccompanied minors reach our shores.
Archbishop Thomas WenskiArchdiocese of Miami
“All affected employees received notice this week,” he wrote. “We are working with our employees to support them during this difficult transition.”
Due to unexpected circumstances, CCADM explained in the letter that it was “unable to give 60 days’ notice” to employees and noted that “the layoffs are permanent.”
More than half of the laid-off staff were made up of youth care workers in the program, as well as many others, including physicians, case managers and medical coordinators.
During a press conference on April 15 following funding cuts, Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami urged the government to restore funding, saying that services for unaccompanied minors “will be forced to close within three months.”
He said, “It is shocking that the U.S. government would shut down a program that would be difficult to replicate at the level of capacity and excellence achieved by Catholic Charities if future waves of unaccompanied minors reach our shores.”
