Pope Francis has strongly criticized the Trump administration’s mass deportation plans, specifically targeting Vice President JD Vance’s religious defense of the policy. In a letter to U.S. bishops, the Pope stated that forcibly removing individuals solely based on immigration status violates human dignity and urged American leaders to show compassion toward migrants. He warned that such actions “will end badly” and reminded Christians of their duty to “welcome the stranger.”
In the letter, Francis wrote, “Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups…The true ordo amoris that must be promoted is that which we discover by meditating constantly on the parable of the ‘Good Samaritan,’ that is, by meditating on the love that builds a fraternity open to all, without exception.”
Vice President Vance has defended the administration’s policies using the Catholic concept of “ordo amoris,” which prioritizes national citizens over non-citizens. Vance argues that a government’s first duty is to its own people and that securing the border is a moral obligation to protect American families. However, Pope Francis dismissed such reasoning, warning against equating illegal immigration with criminality and urging policymakers to seek just and humane solutions.
The administration, led by border czar Tom Homan, pushed back, defending its immigration enforcement as lawful and necessary. Homan suggested that the Pope should focus on church matters rather than interfering with national security policies. The Trump administration maintains that its planned deportations are aimed at removing individuals with criminal records and restoring border integrity.
This latest dispute highlights ongoing tensions between the Trump administration’s nationalist immigration policies and the Vatican’s stance on humanitarian aid and migrant rights.
