UPDATE: Federal Judge Delivers Major Blow to Catholic Bishops Suing Trump Admin

A few days ago, we brought you a story about a national agency of Catholic bishops launching a lawsuit against the Trump administration for cutting of funding to their ‘refugee resettlement’ program.

If you missed it, here’s that full report:

Catholic Bishops SUE Trump Administration For Cutting Off “Refugee Resettlement” Funding

Now, a federal judge has just shot down the bishops' request for an emergency restraining order intended to force the Trump administration to give them back their funding.

In his ruling, Trump-appointed Judge Trevor McFadden ruled that the bishops could not prove that the administration had caused them "irreparable harm."

Take a look at the latest development in the case:

A federal judge on Thursday denied the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ request to release suddenly halted funds for refugee resettlement programs. @ryan_knappy https://t.co/pEL3kcPkXz

— Courthouse News (@CourthouseNews) February 21, 2025

A federal judge refused to immediately block the Trump administration’s abrupt halt to funding of the nation’s largest private refugee resettlement program in a setback to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. https://t.co/X21MJ2QBbc

— The Associated Press (@AP) February 20, 2025

Hey Bishops and Catholic Church, the Judges ruling is a message from God! Stop meddling in politics and stick to worshipping God!

A federal judge on Thursday delivered a major blow to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), denying their attempt to force the Trump… pic.twitter.com/ZC10jEBYK5

— wolf_patriot737 (@Ultra_USMAga_FL) February 21, 2025

AP reported on the judge's ruling:

A federal judge on Thursday refused to immediately block the Trump administration’s abrupt halt to funding of the nation’s largest private refugee resettlement program in a setback to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Judge Trevor McFadden denied the bishops’ request for a temporary restraining order that would have restored the funding, but called his ruling “very tentative.”

“A temporary restraining order is an extraordinary remedy that should be granted sparingly,” he said.

McFadden scheduled another hearing for next Friday on the bishops’ related request for a preliminary injunction that also would block the administration’s pause in program funding. He also ordered the two sides to have a mediation session with a federal magistrate judge next week.

“I want to see further briefing from the parties,” McFadden said.

The bishops are asking him to prohibit the U.S. State Department from enforcing a Jan. 24 suspension of millions of dollars in aid, saying it has affected nearly 7,000 newly arrived refugees.

The bishops say that withholding millions in resettlement costs violates various laws as well as the constitutional provision giving the power of the purse to Congress, which already approved the funding.

WUSA9 added:

A federal judge declined to order the Trump administration on Thursday to resume refugee resettlement payments to a national organization representing Catholic bishops despite acknowledging they may ultimately prevail in their case.

U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden said the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) had failed to show it was suffering irreparable harm from the State Department withholding millions of dollars in refugee aid funding. The organization filed a lawsuit earlier this week seeking to reverse a decision by the State Department and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to suspend funding for refugee resettlement nationwide – part of a larger freeze on foreign assistance spending directed by an executive order signed by President Donald Trump last month.