Overview: Congress passed a spending bill to keep government funds flowing until September 30, 2026. However, funds for the Department of Homeland Security received only a two-week extension to allow members to negotiate new terms for ICE and CBP engagement with individuals and communities in light of the violence and unrest in Minneapolis the past several weeks.
CCUSA President and CEO Kerry Alys Robinson met with members of Congress this week. She advocated across the aisle for just, humane policies affecting materially poor and vulnerable people served by the 169 Catholic Charities agencies across the nation.
Economy: In the week ending January 31, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims was 231,000, an increase of 22,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 209,000. The 4-week moving average was 212,250, an increase of 6,000 from the previous week's unrevised average of 206,250.
Child Care and Development Fund: CCUSA submitted comments on the proposed rule titled "Restoring Flexibility in the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF)." CCUSA recognizes the importance of state and territorial flexibility in administering block grant programs and acknowledges that some provisions of the March 2024 CCDF final rule presented implementation challenges. However, the proposed rollbacks could weaken key safeguards that promote affordability, provider stability, and equitable access to child care for families with the greatest needs. Read the full comments here.
Migration/Immigration: Join federal policy experts from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC), Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA), and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) when they provide an update on the immigration landscape, February 10, 2026, at 3 p.m. Learn more about what each organization is tracking and opportunities for engagement in this area. Time will be provided for attendees to ask questions. Register here.