Pope Leo delivered his strongest rebuke yet of U.S. President Donald Trump’s immigration policies on Tuesday, questioning whether they align with the Catholic Church’s pro-life doctrine.
“Someone who says I am against abortion but I am in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States, I don’t know if that’s pro-life,” the pontiff told journalists outside his residence in Castel Gandolfo.
The Church, with its 1.4 billion members worldwide, teaches that human life is sacred from conception to natural death. Pope Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, stressed that this teaching must apply consistently across issues such as abortion, immigration, and capital punishment.
His remarks came in response to a question about American politics, amid mounting debate over Trump’s pledge to intensify deportations of undocumented migrants.
The White House defended the president’s stance, with spokesperson Abigail Jackson saying, “He is keeping his promise to the American people” by targeting criminal illegal aliens.
Since his election in May following the death of Pope Francis, Leo has generally adopted a more reserved public style than his outspoken predecessor. But Tuesday’s comments signaled a willingness to address contentious U.S. issues directly.
The pope was also asked about the Archdiocese of Chicago’s decision to honor Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat who supports abortion rights, despite criticism from conservative bishops.
He defended the move, noting: “It is very important to look at the overall work that the Senator has done. I understand the difficulty and the tensions, but it’s important to look at many issues that are related to the teaching of the Church.”
Pope Leo added: “Someone who says I am against abortion but says I am in favour of the death penalty is not really pro-life.”
The remarks are likely to intensify debate among American Catholics, who remain deeply divided over the intersection of faith, politics, and public policy.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
