The White House's directive to freeze federal financial assistance programs has ignited a firestorm of criticism and raised concerns about its potential impact on a wide range of public services and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The directive, aimed at enforcing the administration's immigration policies, faces pushback from various stakeholders, including Catholic Charities USA, who argue that it will negatively affect millions of Americans relying on vital government assistance.
The White House initiated a directive on January 28th to freeze federal financial assistance programs, raising concerns about its impact on a wide range of public services and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The directive, aimed at enforcing the administration's immigration policies, sparked immediate pushback from various stakeholders, including Catholic Charities USA.
The White House budget office ordered a pause on all federal grants and loans, potentially affecting trillions of dollars in government spending and disrupting crucial public programs that benefit millions of Americans. This freeze encompasses a broad spectrum of assistance, potentially impacting Catholic entities that rely on federal funding. While White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified during her debut press briefing that individual assistance programs like Social Security, Medicare, food stamps, and welfare benefits would not be affected, the definition of 'assistance provided directly to individuals' remains unclear, leading to uncertainty about the scope of the freeze. Leavitt emphasized the administration's commitment to fiscal responsibility, stating that the directive was intended to combat 'wokeness' and align with President Trump's executive orders on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. However, the directive's implementation raised practical challenges. Illinois, along with other states, experienced disruptions in accessing the Medicaid spending portal, highlighting the potential for operational difficulties. Leavitt assured the public that no payments had been affected and that the portal would be restored soon. The impact on organizations like Meals on Wheels, which relies on federal funding to deliver meals to homebound seniors, also came under scrutiny. Leavitt's response regarding potential funding cuts to NGOs aiding illegal immigrants, such as Catholic Charities, further fueled the controversy. Catholic Charities USA, through its president and CEO Kerry Alys Robinson, issued a statement condemning the freeze, emphasizing the organization's vital role in providing essential services to vulnerable populations across the country. Robinson argued that millions of Americans who rely on these programs would suffer due to this unprecedented decision and urged the administration to reconsider its stance
White House Federal Funding Immigration Policies Catholic Charities Ngos Medicaid Social Services Trump Administration
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
MAGA civil war sparks fears of chaotic Trump White HouseThe MAGA rabble-rouser said the visa issue is “central to the way they gutted the middle class in this country.”
Read more »
Jimmy Carter, first to host a pope at the White House, dies at 100Christian News,World Christian News,Malaysia Church,Religion Christianity
Read more »
US Treasury prepares for ‘extraordinary measures’ to avoid debt default as Trump returns to White HouseWASHINGTON, Jan 18 — The US Treasury Department will start taking “extraordinary measures” next week to avoid risking a default on government debt, Secretary Janet Yellen...
Read more »
Indian sentenced to 8 years in US jail for attempted White House attack in 2023PETALING JAYA: A viral video of a disabled man being assaulted in Terengganu has invoked sympathy and anger among internet users with some saying it's not the way to solve disputes while others say there was no compassion for the disabled.
Read more »
Markets optimistic as Trump returns to the White HouseTikTok got an apparent reprieve from being forced to shut down, but Americans on Jan 20 were still using and downloading Xiaohongshu, the Chinese social media app that surged in popularity last week in anticipation of TikTok’s closure.
Read more »
Trump administration shutters White House Spanish language pageWASHINGTON, Jan 23 — President Donald Trump’s administration has shut down the White House’s Spanish language page. As of this week, visitors to whitehouse.gov/es now see an...
Read more »