Pope Leo and a coalition of Catholic bishops issued an unusually forceful statement today condemning what they described as the “growing and dangerous vilification of immigrants” in the United States, warning that political rhetoric is fueling hostility toward vulnerable communities and undermining core moral principles of the Church.
Speaking from Rome, Pope Leo said the Church “cannot remain silent while families are dehumanized, asylum seekers are treated as threats, and political leaders use fear to divide society.” His remarks were echoed by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which released a coordinated pastoral letter urging Catholics to reject language that “casts immigrants as criminals, invaders, or burdens,” saying such portrayals contradict both scripture and longstanding Catholic social teaching.
The bishops noted that the Church has historically defended the dignity of migrants, many of whom flee violence, climate disasters, or economic desperation. Several dioceses, particularly in border states, reported increases in harassment against immigrant parishioners, which they attribute in part to inflammatory national discourse.
Pope Leo emphasized that nations have the right to regulate their borders, but insisted that this right “never supersedes the responsibility to treat every person with compassion and respect.” The statement called on lawmakers to pursue humane immigration reforms and on Catholics to challenge demeaning rhetoric whenever they encounter it.
The bishops in their statement said that both human dignity and national security could be achieved “if people of good will work together.”
The coordinated message marks one of the strongest interventions from the Church in the current U.S. debate, signaling deep concern that anti-immigrant sentiment is becoming normalized in public life.