Pope Leo XIV, who was born in Chicago, has sparked a heated reaction among Donald Trump’s supporters after urging major labor unions from his hometown to take a stand against what he described as “fascist immigration crackdowns.”
During a recent meeting at the Vatican with a delegation of union leaders from Chicago, the Pope made an impassioned plea for compassion and moral courage in the face of rising political extremism.
“While recognizing that appropriate policies are necessary to keep communities safe, I encourage you to continue advocating for a society that respects the human dignity of the most vulnerable,” Leo XIV told the group.
The meeting took place as Trump’s administration intensifies ICE operations targeting immigrant and minority communities and amid controversial efforts to deploy the National Guard in Illinois to quell political dissent.
According to Fox 32 Chicago, Cardinal Blase Cupich, who accompanied the labor leaders to Rome, said that Pope Leo was “well aware of the situation on the ground” in Chicago.
“I really didn’t have to tell him much,” Cupich told the Associated Press. “He already had a clear understanding. The Pope has made it very clear that migrants and the poor must be treated in ways that uphold their human dignity.”
Cupich added that Pope Leo has asked American bishops to “speak with one voice” in defending immigrant rights.
“This has to be front and center right now,” Cupich said. “We can’t avoid it. He wants us to ensure that the Church stands up for the undocumented and anyone who’s vulnerable.”
Earlier this week, Pope Leo released his first major document, titled “I Have Loved You,” a reflection on social justice and compassion in the modern world. In it, he called on Catholics to fight poverty and show love and protection toward migrants.
Quoting Pope Francis, he wrote that Christians should embrace four guiding principles toward migrants: welcome, protect, promote, and integrate.
“The Church, like a mother, walks beside those who journey,” Pope Leo wrote. “Where the world sees threats, she sees children. Where walls are built, she builds bridges. The Gospel becomes credible only when it is lived out through gestures of closeness and welcome. In every rejected migrant, it is Christ himself who knocks at the door.”
As debates over immigration and human rights continue to divide the United States, Pope Leo XIV’s words signal that the Catholic Church under his leadership will not remain silent even when it means clashing with political power.
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