‘Extremely disrespectful’, says pope about anti-immigration policies

Pope Leo renewed his criticism of US President Donald Trump’s hardline anti-immigration policies today, saying foreigners living in the US are being treated in an “extremely disrespectful” manner. The pope asked, speaking to journalists at Castel Gandolfo, his residence on the outskirts of Rome, that people in the US “look for ways to treat people with humanity, treating them with the dignity that they have.”

In recent weeks, Leo, the first US pontiff, has expressed his disapproval of the Trump administration’s persecution of immigrants in increasingly strong terms. In September, he called their treatment “inhumane,” provoking a heated reaction from some prominent conservative Catholics.

Asked by a journalist on Tuesday about a Nov. 13 statement from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops that rebuked the Trump administration’s policies and called for “significant immigration reform,” Leão said “it’s a very important statement.” “I would just invite every person in the United States to listen to it,” he added.