Pope Leo XIV backs U.S. bishops in condemning Trump’s immigration sweeps

Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday strongly affirmed the message of U.S. bishops condemning the Trump administration’s immigration sweeps and called on Americans to listen to immigrants and treat them humanely and with dignity.

The Pope was asked about the “special message” adopted by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops at its plenary meeting in Baltimore last week.

The bishops criticized President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda and “smears” of immigrants, expressing concern about immigration raids fueling fear and anxiety in communities, as well as the lack of pastoral care for immigrants in detention centers.

“We are disturbed when we see a climate of fear and anxiety among our people around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement,” the bishops’ statement said. The bishops’ statement, which also opposes “indiscriminate mass deportation of people”, said: “We are saddened by the current state of debate and the vilification of immigrants. We are concerned about the conditions in detention centers and the lack of access to pastoral care.”

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Leo, America’s first pope, said he appreciated the message of the U.S. bishops and encouraged Catholics and all people of good will to listen to immigrants to treat them with dignity, even if they are in the country illegally.

“I think we need to look for ways to treat people humanely, to treat people with the dignity that they have,” Leo told reporters. he said. “If people are in the United States illegally, there are ways to treat that. There are courts, there is a justice system.”

The pope has previously called on local bishops to raise social justice concerns. Catholic leaders are criticizing Trump’s mass deportation plan as fears of immigration raids have reduced mass attendance in some congregations.

Catholic leaders are criticizing Trump’s mass deportation plan as fears of immigration raids have reduced mass attendance in some congregations. (Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP/Getty Images)

The federal government earlier this year reversed a Biden administration directive that prohibited immigration officers from conducting raids on sensitive areas such as churches, schools and hospitals.

Leo acknowledged problems with the U.S. immigration system but emphasized that no one is advocating for the U.S. to have open borders and that each country can choose who can enter and the methods of doing so.

“But while people are living good lives, and many of them have been for 10, 15, 20 years, they are treated with the utmost disrespect – and unfortunately there is some violence as well – I think the bishops were very clear in what they said,” he told reporters as he left the papal country residence south of Rome.

POPE LEO

The pope said he appreciated the U.S. bishops’ message and encouraged Catholics and all people of good will to listen to treat immigrants with dignity. (Getty Images)

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“I encourage all people in the United States to listen to them,” Leo added.

The bishops’ “special message” was that they drafted a single-theme declaration at one of their meetings for the first time since 2013.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.