Pope Leo urges US bishops to support immigrants as Trump escalates deportations

In his nascent papacy, Pope Leo XIV has so far avoided a direct confrontation with the White House over its treatment of immigrants.

But on Wednesday, Pope Leo made some of his strongest comments yet, urging U.S. bishops to strongly support immigrants as President Trump intensified his deportation campaign, including in Chicago, the pope’s hometown.

As National Guard troops were scheduled to arrive in Chicago, Pope Leo met with a group of Catholics from El Paso. The group delivered to the pope more than 100 handwritten letters, written by immigrants – mostly undocumented individuals but also mixed families – living in Catholic communities across the United States.

The letters were tied together with string and included a small yellow note that said, in Spanish: “Pope Leo, please listen to the cries of those who are marginalized.”

Bishop Mark J. Seitz, long a strong supporter of immigrants to the United States, was among the group. “We could see his eyes watering a little,” he said of the pope. “He said, ‘I’m happy to be with you.’ »