Pope Leo on Tuesday strongly criticized US President Donald Trump’s hardline immigration policies, questioning whether they align with the Catholic Church’s “pro-life” teachings. Speaking outside the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, near Rome, the pontiff said, “Someone who says I am against abortion but I am in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States, I don’t know if that’s pro-life.”Pope Leo XIV said someone who is against abortion but in favor of the death penalty is “not really pro-life.” The Catholic Church maintains that life is sacred from conception until natural death, one of its core teachings. The White House defended Trump, saying the president was elected on promises that included mass deportations, a subject of intense political debate among Americans. “He is keeping his promise to the American people,” spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement, reported The Guardian. Pope Leo, the first American pope, who replaced the late Pope Francis in May, has adopted a more reserved approach than his predecessor, who often openly criticized the Trump administration. The pontiff also weighed in on a controversy surrounding the Archdiocese of Chicago’s decision to give a lifetime award to Democratic Senator Dick Durbin, a supporter of abortion rights. Conservative Catholics, including several US bishops, had objected to the decision. “It is very important to look at the overall work that the senator has done,” Pope Leo told Reuters. “I understand the difficulty and the tensions but I think, as I myself have spoken in the past, it’s important to look at many issues that are related to what is the teaching of the church. Someone who says I am against abortion but says I am in favour of the death penalty is not really pro-life.” The Chicago Archdiocese’s award announcement sparked immediate backlash, with Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of Springfield stating that Durbin was “unfit to receive the proposed award or any Catholic honor.” Following the controversy, Durbin reportedly declined the award, which was scheduled for 3 November, according to the State Journal-Register.
