US Catholic Charities Forced to Disclose Whether They Provide Immigrants with Abortions

One of the numerous hostels provided by the Catholic Church for illegal immigrants. This one is in Los Angeles (CNS)

From The Catholic Herald (UK)

Charities providing help to immigrant children must provide contraception to youngsters, according to government regulations

The American Civil Liberties Union is taking the US federal government to court to find out whether Catholic Charities are providing abortions to illegal immigrants.

According to Vox, the ACLU is filing the unusual lawsuit to find out whether illegal unaccompanied migrants have access to contraception and abortion while being cared for by Catholic charities.


The Catholic Church works as a federal contractor in its work housing unaccompanied children, and which means it must conform to government regulations regarding healthcare.

The Office of Refugee Resettlement, which looks after illegal immigrants before being rehoused with relatives in the US, contracts out numerous services to charities, with seven states involving the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

Last December, the federal government stated that if a minor is raped while in a US facility than the provider is required to access to abortion if she requests it. They are also obliged to provide contraception.

In February the bishops conferences wrote a letter expressing strong opposition. In response the ACLU is now suing the federal government under the Freedom of Information Act.