Nov 18, 2025 - World

Pope Leo denounces "extremely disrespectful" treatment of immigrants in U.S.

Rebecca Falconer

A short, gray-haired, bespectacled Pope Leo XIV, wearing a white cap and gown and large, silver crucifix, speaks into a silver mic while seated on a cream seat with brown, wooden arms. — Pope Leo XIV delivering a speech to the faithful in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican earlier this month. Photo: Filippo Monteforte/AFP via Getty Images

Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday backed the U.S. Roman Catholic bishops' rare statement criticizing the Trump administration's immigration and mass deportation policies and called on immigrants to be treated with "dignity."

The big picture: The Chicago-born pontiff told reporters the immigration message that the bishops delivered last week was "a very important statement" and "people of goodwill" should listen carefully to what they said.

What he's saying: "We have to look for ways of treating people humanely, treating people with the dignity that they have. If people are in the United States illegally, there are ways to treat that. There are courts. There's a system of justice," Leo said.

"No one has said that the United States should have open borders. I think every country has a right to determine who and how and when people enter.
"But 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 that the bishops have been very clear in what they said," he added.
"I would just invite all people in the United States to listen to them."

Context: In their first "special message" in 12 years, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said they "oppose the indiscriminate mass deportation of people" and prayed "for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement."

When asked for comment on the pope's remarks, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson reiterated the statement she issued in response to the bishops' message, saying Trump was keeping his election promises, including his pledge "to deport criminal illegal aliens."
Representatives for the White House did not immediately respond to Axios' Tuesday evening request for comment on the pope's remarks.

Go deeper: Pope Leo's first encyclical: Faith means defending migrants

Editor's note: This story has been updated with comment from White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson.

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Pope Leo denounces "extremely disrespectful" treatment of immigrants in U.S.

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