In a strong statement issued Tuesday from Rome, Pope Francis condemned the Trump administration’s mass deportation of migrants. He warned that forcibly removing individuals solely due to their undocumented status strips them of their inherent dignity and will ultimately have negative consequences.
The Pope’s direct address to the situation is notable, coming in the form of a letter to U.S. bishops who have voiced concerns about the detrimental effects of these expulsions on vulnerable populations.
Pope Francis, the first Latin American Pope, has consistently advocated for nations to welcome, protect, support, and integrate those escaping conflict, poverty, and environmental disasters, within their capacity.
While acknowledging a nation’s right to protect its borders and citizens from criminals, the letter emphasizes that deporting individuals who have often fled dire circumstances—extreme poverty, insecurity, exploitation, persecution, or severe environmental degradation—undermines their dignity and leaves them vulnerable.
Drawing on biblical accounts of migration, including the Israelites’ exodus and the life of Jesus, Francis underscored the inherent right to seek refuge and safety. He expressed serious concern about the unfolding situation in the United States.
He wrote of closely monitoring the significant crisis unfolding in the U.S. with the mass deportation program’s commencement, stating that a well-formed conscience cannot condone measures equating the undocumented status of migrants with criminality.
He distinguished between establishing legal migration policies and expelling people based solely on their undocumented status.
He concluded that policies based on force rather than the equal dignity of all humans are flawed from the outset and doomed to fail.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reported last week that over 8,000 individuals had been apprehended in immigration enforcement actions since President Trump’s inauguration. Some have been deported, others are being processed, and some are being held at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base.
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