Pope Leo XIV Endorses U.S. Bishops’ Critique of Trump Immigration Policies

Pope Leo XIV strongly supported U.S. bishops who condemned the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and urged the American people to listen to them and treat migrants humanely. The Chicago-born leader addressed the “special message” adopted by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops during their general assembly last week, emphasizing the need to treat people with dignity and respect. He acknowledged there are problems in the U.S. immigration system but stressed that no one has said the U.S. should have open borders, highlighting every country’s right to determine who can enter and how. “If people are in the United States illegally, there are ways to treat that. There are courts; there’s a system of justice,” he stated. The bishops’ “special message” was rare— the first time since 2013 the bishops had penned such a single-issue statement at one of their meetings. “I would just invite all people in the United States to listen to them,” he added.