Catholic News

Once known for building the beauty empire behind e.l.f. Cosmetics into a household name, Scott Borba spent decades immersed in boardrooms, branding, and the fast-moving world of consumer culture.

Today, however, his focus has shifted from profit margins to parish ministry. After years serving as a Catholic deacon, Borba now stands on the threshold of an even more profound calling: ordination to the priesthood.

In 2004, Borba — alongside father and son Alan and Joseph Shamah — founded the cruelty-free makeup brand e.l.f. Cosmetics, which stands for "eyes, lips, face." By the mid-2010s the brand had reached immense levels of success thanks to its affordable prices and ethical products. By 2014, the makeup brand reached $100 million in sales.

Living a life of luxury, in his 40s Borba began to experience a call from God. In 2019, Borba gave up the fortune he had acquired from e.l.f., donating it all to different charities, and entered seminary in the Diocese of Fresno, California.

Borba was ordained a transitional deacon on June 21, 2025, and will be ordained a priest on May 23.

In an interview with "EWTN News Nightly," Borba shared that he first felt the calling to the priesthood when he was 10 years old but, feeling unworthy, he "ran away from the call and in the process I was running away from my faith also."

"I had a very big conversion when I was 40," he added. "At that time, I was in transition of different businesses and through the help of God I was able to understand the state of my soul and where I was headed. I really wanted to recalibrate my life with him and to re-entertain what he offered me when I was 10."

It was during a house party that Borba realized how lonely, empty, and unloved he felt, despite having everything in terms of material wealth.

"That was another grace from God that he gave me to understand my unhappiness," he said. "Then he allowed me to ask him the question, 'Help me be the man you created me to be, but I can't do it without your help.' And that's when the love and mercy came into my life."

Borba explained that after that moment, his journey continued with the sale of one of his luxury cars. All proceeds were donated to charity, and when he saw "how it could affect people's lives with positive change — helping with the poverty and the homelessness — that was the key that God, Our Lord, used with me to open the floodgates for the rest of it to go."

Letting go of the material wealth was one of the hardest aspects of the transition from secular life to religious life, Borba shared. The former beauty mogul went from owning houses to "living in a little tiny room" when he entered St. Patrick's Seminary in Menlo Park, California.

"You can't fit everything in there, so you have to make a decision to hold onto it or not. And the seminary gives you the opportunity to figure that out — to either unite to his will or not," he said. "So, for me, it was to have to give that up. It took me years to get comfortable with that, but now I'm actually in tons of peace knowing that I don't have many possessions and that I can actually travel and focus on where ministry and Our Lord takes me."

"Once I surrendered to him and understood the reality of why I'm here, why we're all placed here, is to get back in union with him, it literally changed my life," he shared.

Borba encouraged those who might also be ignoring God's call in their lives to "not give up."

"If Our Lord is calling you and you're just not ready for the call, ask him to have patience with you and to direct you in the life that you're currently in. But let me tell you, if we orient ourselves to God right now, he takes care of everything for us in this life as well as prepares us for the next," he said.

"If we're able to do his will, the joy and the love and the success will come, but it's oriented to his divine providence. That's what I didn't know, that is the truth, and that's what I want to let everyone know: Put him first and everything will fall into place, I promise you."

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Pope Leo XIV said Wednesday that the liturgy occupies a central place in the life of the Church, since it "touches the very heart" of the mystery of Christ — because it is "at once the space, the time, and the context" in which the Church receives from him "her very life."

The liturgy, he said at the general audience in St. Peter's Square, is where "the work of our redemption is accomplished," which makes us "a chosen lineage, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people whom God has acquired for himself."

On May 20, the pontiff began a new series of catechesis about the Second Vatican Council's constitution on the sacred liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium.

The conciliar text marks a shift in emphasis in the understanding of the liturgy: Whereas the Tridentine Mass prior to Vatican II focused primarily on the sacrificial dimension, the conciliar liturgical reform placed at the forefront Christ acting in the liturgy, setting at the center the paschal mystery — his passion, death, resurrection, and glorification — which is made sacramentally present in every celebration.

Not just a reform of the rites

The pope explained that the council fathers at Vatican II sought not only an external reform of the rites but also a broader spiritual deepening: "In drafting this constitution, the council fathers sought not only to undertake a reform of the rites but to lead the Church to contemplate and deepen that living bond which constitutes and unites her: the mystery of Christ."

The pontiff thus affirmed that "every time we take part in the assembly gathered 'in his name' we are immersed in this mystery," stressing that Christ continues to act in the Church as "he who is present in the proclaimed word, in the sacraments, in the ministers who celebrate, in the gathered community and, in the highest degree, in the Eucharist."

Referring to St. Augustine, Leo recalled that in celebrating the Eucharist the Church "receives the body of the Lord and becomes what she receives," thus becoming the body of Christ and "a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."

The pope also insisted that the liturgy is not an isolated act but "the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed … the font from which all her power flows."

Leo highlighted the missionary and universal dimension of the liturgy, which "represents a sign of the unity of the entire human race in Christ," and, quoting pope Francis, recalled that "the world still does not know it, but everyone is invited to the supper of the wedding of the Lamb."

The pontiff concluded by inviting the faithful to allow themselves to be transformed by the liturgical action. "Let us allow ourselves to be shaped inwardly by the rites, symbols, gestures, and above all the living presence of Christ in the liturgy," he said.

His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia, the head of the Armenian Church and one of the most important figures in Eastern Christianity, was also present during the general audience. The pope said the fraternal visit by the Armenian Orthodox leader "represents an important opportunity to strengthen the bonds of unity that already exist between us, as we move toward full communion between our churches."

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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Jim Hughes, a towering and beloved Canadian champion of the preborn for over half a century, passed away on the morning of May 18 surrounded by loved ones. He was 82.

He had endured several health challenges in recent years, including a stroke in March 2025.

Tributes are pouring in for the man who shepherded Campaign Life Coalition (CLC), the political arm of the Canadian pro-life movement, for over 34 years as national president before passing the leadership reins to his successor Jeff Gunnarson in late 2018.

Gunnarson penned a poignant missive to the dedicated husband, father, and grandfather who was "a mentor and a fatherly presence to so many" he encountered.

"His tireless work helped shape, strengthen, and mobilize the movement across the country, saving countless lives and inspiring generations of pro-life Canadians," Gunnarson wrote. "Yet Jim's impact extended far beyond public leadership. If someone needed help, he would help, often quietly, without recognition and without ever seeking praise."

Hughes devoted more than 80 hours a week advocating against abortion during his years actively leading Campaign Life, and remarkably he still devoted more than 60 hours per week to this fight during his retirement years.

During Hughes' tenure the Campaign Life mailing list grew from 200 names in 1978 to nearly 200,000 today. He also brought the National March for Life to Ottawa in 1997. And he was active in the political arena by supporting pro-life legislation and lobbying against bills that he deemed did not go far enough in safeguarding life.

He was deemed a great bridge-builder between people and a man who empowered the next generation of pro-life leaders.

Alissa Golob, the co-founder of Right Now, an organization striving to effectuate the election of pro-life MPs, saluted Hughes for his role in her formation as an advocate.

"Jim gave me my start in the pro-life movement by hiring me right out of university as the youth coordinator for Campaign Life Coalition," Golob wrote on X. "He gave me many amazing opportunities and helped shape me to become the pro-life woman I am today. Although we had our differences, at the end of the day he was an amazing man who wanted to protect babies and is the reason why so many pro-life organizations exist today. He is greatly loved and will be missed."

After his passion for the pro-life cause was kindled at a Campaign Life retreat as a teenager, Patrick Craine, the president of Our Lady Seat of Wisdom College, stated in a Facebook tribute that it was an honor to work alongside Hughes for many years as president of Campaign Life Coalition Nova Scotia.

Of Hughes, Craine wrote that "the movement is immeasurably poorer for his absence. But the leaders he formed, the institutions he built, and the lives he helped protect are his lasting legacy." All of Hughes' deeds on behalf of the unborn, Craine added, were guided by his faith in Christ.

"Jim was a committed Catholic, and it was that faith, not mere ideology or politics, that animated everything he did. He understood the defense of the unborn not as a cause among many but as a profound moral and spiritual calling. His was the conviction of a man who truly believed every life is made in the image and likeness of God and who ordered his entire life accordingly."

Hughes' efforts to emulate Jesus was evident in the love he exhibited for figures who espoused pro-choice doctrine. He once told the famous Canadian abortionist Dr. Henry Morgantaler that "I'm still praying for you" during an encounter in a downtown Toronto restaurant.

Father Thomas Lynch, president of Priests for Life Canada, lauded Hughes' tireless advocacy for the unborn amid an discouraging Canadian cultural landscape.

"I admired Jim for never losing hope, never giving up, and never failing to speak up for the preborn and the defenseless," Lynch wrote. "We worked together for many years with CLC, in its various forms, and in too many organizations to count. Positive, funny, indefatigable, and always on the lookout for another opportunity to speak, to organize, and to achieve the goals of the pro-life movement — he will be sorely missed."

This story was first published by Canada's The Catholic Register and is reprinted here, with adaptations, with permission.

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The organizers of Pope Leo XIV's apostolic journey to Spain have confirmed that nearly half a million people have registered for some of the major public events along the itinerary, particularly those in Madrid and the Canary Islands.

Rafael Rubio, the communications coordinator for the pontiff's apostolic visit, said during a press briefing that 160,000 people have already registered for the vigil scheduled for June 6; 250,000 for the Corpus Christi Mass and procession; 36,000 for the Mass to be celebrated at Gran Canaria Stadium on June 11; and another 25,000 for the event taking place the following day at the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canaries.

However, they are unable to provide figures regarding the events to be held in Barcelona as the local organizers "have decided that the ticket distribution system will be different," Rubio explained.

Nevertheless, the Archdiocese of Barcelona reported that the Olympic Stadium will accommodate approximately 37,000 people.

The organizers also confirmed they have over 20,000 volunteers who will assist at the various venues during the pope's visit. They will be wearing four different-colored T-shirts depending on their role: red for the organizing team, orange for general duties, blue for assisting people with reduced mobility, and green for those providing information to participants at the various events.

To ensure that "there is no one in Spain unaware of the pope's visit," Rubio emphasized, a communication strategy has been developed, one that is still in progress but already features two commercials: "Metro" and "Amigos."

Its creation involved the participation of over 100 contributors and 45 volunteers, with the support of Omnicom Media for strategic planning, Ábside Media for production, and The Cyranos for creative direction.

The campaign aims to invite people "to no longer be indifferent, listen to others, and rediscover them," which goes along with the trip's theme, "Lift Up Your Eyes," Rubio noted.

This communication effort will be rolled out not only through social media but also across some 400 advertising displays distributed throughout Spain.

Listening centers

During the Holy Father's visit to Madrid, the archdiocese will set up listening centers along the Paseo de la Castellana — the city's main north-south thoroughfare — a pastoral initiative that has been underway for several years, coordinated by the Camillian religious order.

Through this initiative, the Catholic Church hopes to minister to the personal, spiritual, and psychological concerns of those generous enough to share them in a welcoming and confidential environment through a model of accompaniment based on the humanistic psychology of Carl Rogers.

Dedicated to this ministry of listening are not only priests but also laypeople, who undergo training courses before joining the listening centers.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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The bishops of the Commission for Consecrated Life of the Spanish Bishops' Conference underscored the importance of the contemplative life in a message issued on the occasion of Pro Orantibus Day ("for those who pray"), which will be observed on May 31, the solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity.

The celebration was instituted by Pope Pius XII to foster awareness of and prayer for those who consecrate their lives to prayer and contemplation in cloistered convents.

Under the theme "Vida contemplativa, ¿por quién eres?" ("Contemplative Life, for Whom Do You Exist?"), the bishops said this observance invites the faithful "to turn our attention toward those who, called by the Lord, have consecrated their lives to prayer, praise, and constant intercession for the people of God and for all of humanity."

The question "For whom do you exist?" is intended as a call to "return to the origin and center: the One from whom contemplative life flows, is configured, and sustained." In other words, the bishops said this involves "reflecting on God, who is love, who takes the initiative, calls, draws people in, and consecrates them" as well as "recognizing the ecclesial and missionary fruitfulness" of this form of consecrated life.

"In a time and cultural context marked by being in a hurry," the bishops said, "interior distractedness and the temptation to measure life by immediate efficacy along with a thirst for spirituality on many levels, the contemplative life reminds the entire Church that the decisive question is not merely what we can do and hope for but also and above all for whom we exist, live, and act, for whom we lift up our eyes."

The bishops also emphasized that "an existence dedicated to contemplation proclaims just by the entire dedication of one's life that God is worthy of being sought and loved for his own sake and that placing one's life before him represents in and of itself a profound and silent service both to the Church and to humanity as a whole, a humanity often lost in the depths of hatred and destruction. It is a service and a mission that the Church and men and women of all times need."

Of God, for God, for the world and in community

The bishops of the Commission for Consecrated Life presented four distinctive characteristics of contemplative life: to be of God, for God, for the world, and in community.

This means that it "is born of a divine initiative that precedes any human response and takes concrete form in a total consecration, lived out in stability, silence, listening to the Word, and persevering praise."

This consecration "for God" means that "contemplative persons order their days, renounce other good and legitimate projects, and remain faithful even amid aridity, trials, and anonymity."

This "radical orientation toward God" is the reason why the contemplative life "exists for the Church," the prelates noted, because "the personal and communal prayer of contemplatives sustains communion, strengthens the faith of the people of God, and serves as a reminder that all pastoral and missionary action is born of and returns to listening to the Spirit and to one's brothers and sisters, as the synodal journey highlights."

The bishops said that "the contemplative life is also for the world, even when the world neither knows nor understands it," insofar as "its constant intercession reaches men and women of every walk of life, and becomes a hidden source of hope for a wounded humanity in need of meaning, reconciliation, and a profound joy of living."

Pro Orantibus Day is an ecclesial act of gratitude, reciprocity, and co-responsibility, the prelates said, one that should help "to rediscover, value, and sustain the contemplative life, to pray for vocations, and to learn in the light of your witness that mission begins on one's knees and is sustained by daily fidelity to the Lord."

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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A group of Catholic and Christian faith leaders said it has been granted daily access to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Broadview, Illinois, since May 15 under a milestone agreement with immigration officials.

The Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership (CSPL), a Chicago-based Catholic and Christian advocacy group, said in a May 19 press release that it has struck a deal with ICE and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that allows "daily pastoral visits."

The temporary agreement follows a nearly 10-month-long campaign and lawsuit filed by CSPL and other faith leaders in November. CSPL faith leaders were permitted to provide pastoral care for Ash Wednesday and Holy Week but were denied entrance at Christmas.

The group noted that the agreement is not permanent and that the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois requested a July status update.

"During the pendency of this federal litigation, as ordered by the court, plaintiffs may access the ICE Broadview Service Staging Area Facility," the agreement states, according to CSPL, "to offer pastoral services on a daily basis to detainees who wish to receive pastoral care, including spiritual care, prayer, or facility-approved sacramental ministry, which may include rites tied to specific religious observances."

Access to the facility will be allowed for up to five religious leaders per day between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. and between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., CSPL said. ICE personnel are required under the agreement to provide "sufficient space for religious services to be carried out within reasonable operational parameters," CSPL said. The agreement also requires ICE to "make reasonable efforts" to facilitate privacy for detainees during the sacrament of confession, CSPL said.

Visits may only take place after detainees have completed intake and must be concluded with enough time for detainees to be transported out of the facility, CSPL said. ICE is permitted to limit visitation based on safety threats and operational concerns under the agreement, CSPL said.

'Emergency room treatment'

The group provided religious services to 12 detainees at Broadview under the agreement on May 17, CSPL said.

"One detainee, facing deportation, expressed his gratitude for the visit and said, 'Me siento como a volver a vivir,' which loosely translates to a feeling of being brought back to life," the organization said in the release.

"To my mind, it's emergency room treatment," said Father Paul Keller, CMF, the provincial for the Claretian Missionaries and a member of the CSPL Clergy Council. "Someone is there right when the trauma has happened to attend to the immediate emotional and spiritual wounds."

"This agreement represents a recognition of the human dignity and basic human rights of our detained sisters and brothers," CSPL Executive Director Michael N. Okinczyc-Cruz said.

Another civil suit (Moreno Gonzalez v. Noem) in federal court alleged detainees at the Broadview facility faced overcrowded, "inhumane" conditions, insufficient nutrition, inadequate medical care, lack of privacy, and a squalid living environment.

Although detainees are only meant to be held at Broadview for a few hours, with the maximum being 72 hours, some alleged last year that they were held there for several days and even up to one week during ICE's Operation Midway Blitz, which detained about 3,000 immigrants illegally residing in the state.

A DHS spokesperson said "religious organizations are more than welcome to provide services to detainees in ICE detention facilities" and disputed detainees' claims that the Broadview facility functions as a detention center, not a temporary processing facility.

"Even before the attacks on the Broadview facility, it was not within standard operating procedure for religious services to be provided in a field office, as detainees are continuously brought in, processed, and transferred out," according to a DHS spokesperson.

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The Archdiocese of Baltimore is proposing nearly $170 million in compensation for abuse victims amid its ongoing bankruptcy proceedings there.

A May 15 filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court revealed that the archdiocese would contribute just under $44 million to an abuse settlement for survivors, while "settling insurers" would pay a total of $125 million into the fund.

The insurance amount represents a 25% increase from an earlier proposed contribution of $100 million.

In a statement on the filing, the archdiocese said the overall plan "seeks to provide equitable compensation to survivors while sustaining the Church's mission and ministries."

The proposal "reflects a commitment to transparency and a realistic assessment of available resources," it said.

The archdiocese noted that "no final agreement has yet been achieved." The proposal would also establish a "Survivor Compensation Trust" to "evaluate claims and distribute compensation to survivors."

The archdiocese "will continue to listen, to learn, and to seek a resolution that honors the dignity of survivors and strengthens the mission of the Church for generations to come," the statement said.

In 2024 the Baltimore Archdiocese sued multiple insurers over what it claimed was a failure to pay abuse claims for which the insurers were contractually obligated.

U.S. dioceses in recent years have frequently turned to insurers to help cover major abuse settlements, though insurers have at times challenged claims from dioceses on the grounds that their insurance policies did not cover instances of sex abuse.

Marie Reilly, a professor of law at Penn State University and an expert in bankruptcy litigation, including Catholic diocesan bankruptcy proceedings, told EWTN News in 2025 that starting in the 1990s, insurance companies mostly changed how they cover sexual abuse.

"Up until about the mid-'90s, a general liability policy used to include coverages for employee liability," she said. "It would cover sex abuse claims against the diocese stemming from an employee's abuse."

"After 1996, insurance policies issued under new revised standards just don't provide that coverage anymore," she said.

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Pope Leo XIV lamented that after being confirmed, many young people no longer attend church. He asked those awaiting confirmation to "pay special attention" to one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, perseverance.

The pope met on Saturday, May 16, with those awaiting confirmation from the Archdiocese of Genoa, Italy. In an impromptu message, the Holy Father said that "one of the greatest joys of a bishop is celebrating confirmations, because it is truly a gift of the Holy Spirit."

"It is truly beautiful to receive this sacrament, for the fullness of the Holy Spirit gives us this enthusiasm, this strength, this ability to follow Jesus Christ, to always say 'yes' to the Lord, to have no fear of following him with courage, and to live out our faith in a world that so often seeks to draw us away from Jesus," he told them.

After recalling the significance of the solemnity of Pentecost — to be celebrated on Sunday, May 24 — the pope lamented a sad reality: "At times, when the bishop administers confirmation, the gift of the Holy Spirit, the children are never seen again! They disappear from the parish."

"Don't forget what you have experienced during this time, including the joy of coming to Rome to celebrate together, to pray together. And may this joy live on in your hearts as you continue to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ," Pope Leo urged.

He also invited young people to "persevere in the faith, to return to the parish — there are so many activities, so many opportunities — but above all in the life of faith, because Jesus Christ wants to walk with you, with each one of you, and with all of you in community, which is so important."

"We do not live out our faith alone; we live it together. And forming these relationships of friendship and community is a way of living with perseverance as disciples of Jesus," he added.

Finally, he called upon those to be confirmed to make a promise to the Lord: "that you truly desire to continue being his friends, his disciples, and his missionaries, and that you desire to persevere in the faith. So, I leave you with these words," he concluded.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City is set to deliver his first remarks as president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) before bishops consecrate the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in June.

The USCCB is set to gather for the 2026 Spring Plenary Assembly in Orlando, Florida, on June 10–12.

Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, nuncio to the United States, also is scheduled to deliver his first address to U.S. bishops since his appointment in March.

In preparation for consecrating the nation, bishops will hear reflections on the Sacred Heart from several of the bishops ahead of the Mass. The USCCB said in a statement that the bishops hope the event encourages parishes and individuals to also participate in America's 250th anniversary by contributing to 250 hours of adoration and 250 works of mercy.

Lectionary changes

The full plenary agenda has not yet been finalized and is subject to change, but it is expected to include votes on a number of action items including the causes for canonization of Monsignor Joseph Francis Buh and John Rick Miller.

The Committee on Divine Worship also will present elements of a revised edition of the "Lectionary for Mass" and the "2025 Roman Missal-Liturgy of the Hours Supplement" for approval.

The bishops are expected to vote on a potential revision to the "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People," which was first addressed by bishops in 2022 meetings.

The bishops have determined the charter is in need of revisions to align with its original intention of safeguarding minors, the prevention of abuse, and ensuring structures continue to be in place to respond to abuse allegations, the USCCB said.

9-year novena, Catholic universities to be discussed

The U.S. bishops are also expected to talk about the USCCB's engagement with the Intercontinental Guadalupan Novena, a nine-year novena called for by Pope Francis in 2022 that anticipates the fifth centennial of the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 2031.

For the 25th anniversary of the implementation of Ex Corde Ecclesiae in the U.S., there is an expected presentation and reflection on Pope John Paul II's apostolic constitution to guide Catholic colleges and universities on theological and pastoral principles.

The group will also discuss upcoming events including World Youth Day 2027, which will be held in Seoul, South Korea.

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The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is urging Congress to include immigration reform in the budget reconciliation package that is being negotiated by lawmakers and seeking protection of the pastoral needs of detainees and changes to enforcement practices.

"We encourage members of both parties to reject partisan appropriations funding and instead rededicate yourselves to a collaborative process that pursues the common good and promotes human dignity and flourishing," they wrote in a letter to Republican and Democratic lawmakers.

The letter was signed by Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the USCCB, and Victoria, Texas, Bishop Brendan Cahill, chair of the USCCB Committee on Migration.

In the letter, the bishops acknowledge "the legitimate role of the state to regulate immigration, including by bringing to justice those among us who seek to inflict harm," but raise concerns about enforcement practices.

"Enforcement of immigration laws cannot truly advance the common good without reasonable conditions that ensure respect for the God-given dignity of each person, inherent in which is the exercise of certain fundamental rights," they wrote.

The bishops asked for enforcement to be better aligned with "the moral order," such as avoiding enforcement near sensitive locations like churches when there are not extreme circumstances and "mandating consistent access to religious and pastoral services" for detainees.

"Rather than pursuing such measures through a bipartisan process, Congress now risks setting a concerning precedent — one in which furthering the common good is undermined for the sake of political expediency," they wrote.

Under President Donald Trump's administration, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rescinded a rule that put limits on immigration enforcement at "sensitive locations" like churches. DHS officials still urge officer discretion and contend such enforcement would be rare.

DHS also says it encourages clergy to reach out for accommodations to ensure spiritual needs are met for detainees, although officials denied faith leaders' requests to bring the sacraments to an immigration processing facility in Illinois until a federal lawsuit was filed in November 2025 following repeated denials.

DHS recently emerged from a prolonged fiscal 2026 funding impasse, the longest DHS shutdown on record. Congress passed a bill that funded most DHS components, but Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) funding was left unresolved, requiring separate legislative action. The ongoing complexity may influence the fiscal 2027 appropriations timeline, and Republicans have proposed giving ICE and CBP $70 billion in additional funding, on top of $170 billion Congress already allocated last year.

The bishops requested lawmakers "limit additional funding increases for immigration enforcement after the unprecedented amounts provided through last year's reconciliation bill." They expressed concern over "an enforcement-only approach to immigration," which they said "can never meet the demands of the moral law."

"Nor does such an approach truly support the welfare and prosperity of American communities," the bishops said.

Fifty-four people have died in ICE custody since the start of fiscal 2025, which is 125% more detainee deaths than occurred during all four previous fiscal years combined (24 deaths), according to ICE detainee death reporting data.

In their letter to Congress, the bishops quoted a speech by Pope Leo XIV on Jan. 9 in which the Holy Father said: "To be authentic, democratic processes must be accompanied by the political will to pursue the common good, to strengthen social cohesion, and to promote the integral development of every person."

The bishops asked Congress to follow that guidance when putting together the budget bill.

"Through this reconciliation effort and the circumstances that gave rise to it, we see the unfortunate absence of that will and therefore the failure to achieve reasonable and necessary reforms to current immigration enforcement practices," they said.

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