Pope Leo XIV has backed a rare statement from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops on US immigration and urged the US government to “treat people humanely”.
The bishops’ message criticized President Donald Trump’s mass deportation policies and “defunding” of immigrants. The American pastor spoke about the fear and anxiety that immigration raids have sown in communities. He also rejected the denial of care to migrants in detention centres.
“I would invite all the people of the United States to hear him,” the American-born Pope said.
Leo told reporters that “each country has the right to determine who, how and when people enter,” but added that there were people who were “living good lives, and many of them for 10, 15, 20 years” who were being treated in a way “which is extremely insulting.”
“We have to find ways to treat people humanely,” Leo said, speaking to reporters in English.
“If people are in the United States illegally, there are a number of ways to deal with it. There are courts, there is a system of justice,” he said.
US bishops praise contributions of immigrants
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a message in support of immigrants in the U.S. at the conclusion of the group’s meeting last week.
This is the first time since 2013 that the bishops have written such a single-issue statement at one of their meetings.
The American bishops said, “We are saddened when we meet parents who fear being detained when they take their children to school and when we try to console family members who have already been separated from their loved ones.”
The message said, “Despite obstacles and prejudices, generations of immigrants have made enormous contributions to the well-being of our country. We as Catholic bishops love our country and pray for its peace and prosperity.”
Pope Leo XIV had previously urged local bishops in the US to speak out on social justice matters.
Edited by: Elisabeth Schumacher