The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is accusing Vice President JD Vance of misleading the American people by suggesting earlier in the day that the group benefits financially by resettling illegal migrants, but Vance fired back. 

Vance in a pre-recorded interview knocked the group on CBS-TV for criticizing President Donald Trump's new illegal immigration policy that expands enforcement near places of worship and schools.

Vance defended the policy, saying, “Of course, if you have a person who is convicted of a violent crime, whether they're an illegal immigrant or a non-illegal immigrant, you have to go and get that person to protect the public safety."

Vance, who is Catholic, also said: “I think that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops needs to actually look in the mirror a little bit and recognize that when they receive over $100 million to help resettle illegal immigrants, are they worried about humanitarian concerns? Or are they actually worried about their bottom line?"

Later that day, the conference issued a press release stating it began partnering with the federal government to carry out the service when Congress created the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program in 1980.

"Every person resettled through USRAP is vetted and approved for the program by the federal government while outside of the United States," the statement also reads. 

"In our agreements with the government, the USCCB receives funds to do this work; however, these funds are not sufficient to cover the entire cost of these programs. Nonetheless, this remains a work of mercy and ministry of the Church."

The Washington Examiner reviewed the USCCB’s annual financial audit forms and stated that the Church's claims are accurate. 

According to an internal audit of the USCCB performed by professional services firm KPMG, even though the USCCB received "just over $129 million in federal migration service grants, it spent more than $130.5 million on such programs" in 2023, "leaving the church in the red." In 2022, the USCCB received "$122,574,428 in federal funds to serve migrants and [spent] $124,881,840 on such services."