Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday firmly backed the U.S. bishops’ forceful statement condemning the Trump administration’s immigration sweeps, urging Americans to listen to migrants and treat them with dignity.
During a press conference, the pope was asked about the “special message” approved last week by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops during their meeting in Baltimore.
The bishops had sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s mass deportation plan and what they described as the growing “vilification” of migrants. They warned that immigration raids were fueling fear inside communities and cutting off detained migrants from crucial pastoral care.
“We are disturbed when we see among our people a climate of fear and anxiety around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement,” the bishops wrote. “We are saddened by the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants… and we oppose the indiscriminate mass deportation of people.”
Pope Leo: Treat Migrants With Human Dignity
Leo XIV — the first American pope — said he fully supported the bishops’ message. He encouraged Catholics and the broader public to listen to migrants’ experiences and remember their humanity, regardless of their legal status.
“I think we have to look for ways of treating people humanely, treating people with the dignity that they have,” he said. “If people are in the United States illegally, there are ways to treat that. There are courts, there’s a system of justice.”
The pope has repeatedly urged bishops around the world to speak out on social justice issues. In the U.S., Catholic leaders have been increasingly vocal in opposing Trump’s mass deportation plan — a strategy they say has caused a sharp drop in Mass attendance at some parishes due to fear of raids.
Concerns Over Raids at ‘Sensitive Locations’
Earlier this year, the federal government reversed a Biden administration rule that had barred immigration agents from conducting raids at churches, schools, and hospitals. The change sparked deep concern among Catholic leaders, who say such actions put communities on high alert and erode trust.
A photo from the Vatican showed Pope Leo XIV waving to crowds during a special Mass for the Jubilee of the Poor, just one day before making his remarks.
“Extremely Disrespectful” Treatment of Longtime Immigrants
Leo XIV acknowledged that the American immigration system faces real challenges. But he stressed that no bishop has argued for open borders, and every nation has the right to decide how people enter its territory.
What he criticized was the treatment of immigrants who have lived in the U.S. peacefully for years.
“When people are living good lives, and many of them for 10, 15, 20 years, to treat them in a way that is extremely disrespectful to say the least — and there’s been some violence unfortunately — I think the bishops have been very clear,” he said as he left the papal country house south of Rome.
A Consistent Message From the Vatican
This isn’t the first time Pope Leo XIV has spoken up. He has previously condemned violence against Christians abroad and encouraged compassion for vulnerable communities worldwide.
On Tuesday, he again called for a more humane national approach — one that recognizes the dignity of migrants while still respecting the legal process.
