Pope Francis strongly criticized U.S. President Donald Trump’s immigration policies in a letter to American Catholic bishops, warning that criminalizing migrants and using force “will end badly.”
The pope, who previously called Trump’s deportation plans a “disgrace,” urged Catholics not to support narratives that discriminate against migrants. He emphasized that undocumented immigrants should not be assumed to be criminals.
Francis, a vocal critic of Trump’s immigration stance since 2016, described the crackdown as a “major crisis” for the U.S. “What is built on force, and not on the truth of equal dignity, begins badly and will end badly,” he wrote.
Trump, who returned to office last month, has prioritized mass deportations, directing military resources and expanding immigration arrests, including in schools, churches, and hospitals.
The pope also appeared to counter Vice President JD Vance, who cited the Catholic “ordo amoris” principle to justify prioritizing non-immigrants. Francis responded by advocating for a love that embraces all people.
In related moves, Francis appointed Bishop Edward Weisenburger, a vocal advocate for migrants, as the new archbishop of Detroit. Weisenburger previously suggested that Catholic border agents involved in Trump’s 2017-2018 family separation policy could be denied Communion. The pope also named Cardinal Robert McElroy, a critic of Trump’s policies, as the new archbishop of Washington, D.C.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has also condemned Trump’s crackdown, calling it “deeply troubling.”
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