In a striking move on Tuesday, Pope Francis publicly expounded upon his disapproval of proposed actions by the Trump administration to carry out aggressive deportations of immigrants. The Pope cautioned that such forceful expulsion of people, based solely on their illegal status, could strip them of their inherent dignity and precipitate grave consequences. He expressed his concerns through a letter to the U.S. bishops, in which he seemed to directly challenge Vice President JD Vance’s justification of the deportation program from a theological perspective. In response, the U.S. border enforcement head, Tom Homan, detailed Vatican City’s own walls and suggested that Pope Francis keep his focus away from the realm of border management.
As history’s inaugural Latin American pope, Francis has consistently emphasized the importance of empathy towards migrants throughout his papacy. He references biblical teachings that advocate offering shelter to ‘the stranger’ and urges nations to take the responsibility of welcoming, protecting, and integrating those escaping from warfare, poverty, and environmental catastrophes. He also proposed that governments are expected to aid these populations within their abilities.
Pope Francis, the Argentine Jesuit, and President Donald Trump have often found themselves in conflict over immigration policies. The disagreement dates back to before Trump’s first term, when in 2016, Pope Francis controversially stated that those committed to constructing walls to inhibit immigration are ‘not Christians.’ In his recent correspondence, the Pope acknowledged a nation’s right to protect its communities from criminal activities but denounced aggressive deportation tactics.
The Pope underlined that forced deportations, often involving individuals escaping poverty, insecurity, exploitation, or environmental damage, undermine human dignity. ‘Such actions render many individuals and families, particularly vulnerable and defenseless,’ he asserted. He reiterated the rights of people to seek shelter and safety in foreign territories and identified the impending immigration strategy as a ‘serious crisis’ in the U.S.
Pope Francis reinforced his stance using illustrations from the Book of Exodus and Jesus Christ’s experiences. He pointed out that a Christian upbringing equips individuals to critique and dissent against any approach that associates the illegal status of certain migrants with criminal behavior. He warned, ‘A system built on force rather than recognizing the equal dignity of all humans beings starts poorly and ends poorly.’
Expressing his gratitude to the Pope for his support, Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, responded with a letter of his own. He shared the Pope’s hope that the U.S. Government would honor its previous obligations to assist those in desperate need. ‘I boldly implore your continued prayers for our courage as a nation to construct a more compassionate immigration system that defends our communities while preserving the dignity of all,’ Broglio wrote.
Reacting to the discourse, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reported that over 8,000 people have been detained in immigration enforcement operations since Trump assumed office on January 20. Some have been deported, others are currently incarcerated in federal prisons, while others are detained at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba.
Vice President Vance, a Catholic convert himself, has justified the administration’s policies through a medieval Catholic theological concept known as ‘ordo amoris.’ This concept stipulates a hierarchy of care beginning with one’s family, followed by the community, fellow citizens, and lastly, those abroad. However, Pope Francis countered this interpretation in his letter.
The Pope explained that Christian love does not expand interest gradually to include others. Instead, ‘The real order of love to champion is what we understand by frequently contemplating the parable of the ‘Good Samaritan,’ that showcases love fostering a fraternity inclusive of all without exception.’
Drawing attention to the discourse, Gibson, the director of Fordham University’s center for religion and culture, highlighted Pope Francis’s letter as a powerful counter to Vance’s theological claims and their supporters in conservative catholicism. While Vance’s take on ‘ordo amoris’ has found favor among the Catholic right, including the Catholic League, the Pope’s perspective challenges this viewpoint.
In support of Vance’s perspective, Eric Sammons, the editor of Crisis Magazine, elaborated on how Vance draws from teachings of St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, and broader Church doctrines. Sammons stated, ‘Every love, even for one’s neighbor, should be subordinate to the love for God. This hierarchy extends to our social relationships, where love for family, community, and nation precedes love for the global community, not in passion but in duty and responsibility.’
Tom Homan meanwhile contended that Pope Francis should focus on resolving issues within the Catholic Church, leaving border safeguards to his department. Homan criticized the Pope for his stance against U.S. border protection, citing that the Vatican also has walls for protection. ‘While we’re in the wrong for securing our borders, he himself is sheltered by a wall around the Vatican,’ Homan retorted.
While the Vatican, a walled city-state within Rome, has recently toughened penalties for illegal entry into its territory, the U.S bishops conference has criticized Trump’s initial executive orders as ‘deeply concerning.’ They contend such directives could have harmful effects, primarily affecting society’s most vulnerable, a view echoed by Bishop Mark Seitz, who chairs the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ migration committee.