Pope Leo doesn’t hold back on Trump’s immigration policy: “I don’t know if that’s pro-life”
The pontiff has sent out a message against Trump’s immigration tactics.
Despite what Donald Trump might say about having the Catholic vote, he doesn’t have the full backing of the Pope.
Chicago’s Pope Leo XIV, who became pontiff in May of this year, was speaking from Castel Gandolfo where he sent out a sharp critique of Trump’s hugely controversial immigration practices, challenging whether they truly align with the values of a “pro-life” stance.
The pontiff emphasised that the Catholic doctrine which says that life begins at conception and ends at natural death, a principle he argued should guide all social policy. But he warned against a selective reading of pro-life values, pointing out that opposing abortion while supporting harsh penalties cannot honestly be framed under the same moral umbrella.
As he left Castel Gandolfo on Tuesday evening, Pope Leo XIV responded to a journalist's question and invited Catholics to treat one another with respect, pointing out that pro-life issues include abolishing the death penalty and treating migrants humanely, as well as opposing… pic.twitter.com/tCPSyrIeIN
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) October 1, 2025
“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,” he told journalists from his residence near Rome.
His remarks came in response to a journalist’s question about U.S. politics and specifically to Trump’s promise to expand the already controversial deportations. The White House, as you might expect, has defended those actions as fulfilling campaign commitments.
He also spoke about the 20-point plan proposed by Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu regarding ending the genocide in occupied Palestine. Speaking outside Villa Barberini Leo said: “We hope they accept it; so far it seems a realistic proposal.”
The plan has not yet been approved by Hamas, who were also seemingly left out of the talks held by the aforementioned leaders that led to the draft being drawn.
“There is a desire to respond to a real humanitarian emergency,” he said, adding that he had hope of “no violence and that people are respected.”
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