Christian humanitarian organisations are raising alarms over the Trump administration’s decision to cut USAID-funded programs and offices worldwide. At the same time, refugee aid groups are taking legal action against the administration’s suspension of the federal refugee resettlement programme.
The Catholic charity Caritas has denounced the aid cuts as "reckless" and "inhuman," warning that millions of lives are at stake. Cardinal Michael Czerny, who leads Caritas' international development efforts, cautioned that the decision will cause immense suffering, pushing millions into extreme poverty.
Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, General Secretary of ACT Alliance—a global coalition providing humanitarian aid—highlighted the widespread impact of the cuts.
"Food security programs in regions like East Africa, where millions face famine due to prolonged droughts, are being severely affected," he told Premier Christian News. "Health initiatives such as vaccination drives and maternal care services have been delayed, putting the lives of children at risk."
USAID, the primary international humanitarian and development agency of the U.S. government, operates in approximately 120 countries with an annual budget exceeding $40 billion. The administration’s 90-day suspension of fund transfers to aid organisations has already led to service disruptions and staffing challenges.
Bueno de Faria stated that ACT Alliance is working with governments and the United Nations to develop contingency plans. However, he criticised the U.S. policy shift, saying it contradicts Christian values of "mercy, compassion, solidarity, inclusion, respect, and justice."
"The U.S. has historically been a leader in humanitarian aid, helping stabilise fragile regions and promoting human rights.
“These recent policy shifts undermine their credibility as a global advocate for peace and justice,” he added, warning that the move could influence other governments to take a similarly "nationalistic" and "economic" approach over a humanitarian one.
In addition to aid cuts, Christian leaders have also condemned President Donald Trump's hardline immigration policies. Pope Francis has rebuked the mass deportation of migrants, warning that forcibly removing people solely based on their legal status strips them of their dignity. In a letter to U.S. bishops, he cautioned that such measures would "end badly."
Meanwhile, major refugee organisations have taken legal action against the administration. The International Refugee Assistance Project, representing Church World Service and other faith-based groups, filed a lawsuit on Monday challenging the executive order that suspended the federal refugee resettlement program and its funding.
