WASHINGTON — U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Tuesday he disagreed with the Vatican’s stance on immigration, calling its recent comments “troubling” after Pope Leo repeatedly criticized President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.
Leo, the first American pope, has urged the United States to undertake a “deep reflection” on its treatment of migrants, describing the Trump administration as “extremely disrespectful” toward immigrants and condemning what he called their “inhuman” treatment.
“I do think that some of the things that have come out of the Vatican on the immigration question in particular have been troubling, and ultimately I disagree with it,” Vance, who is Catholic, said during an interview on Fox News’ “The Ingraham Angle.”
Vance said he welcomed dialogue with Catholic leaders who oppose the administration’s immigration policies but argued they should also recognize the consequences of large-scale migration.
“What I tell the Catholic leadership I talk to who disagree with our immigration policies, you know, I’m not hostile about it. I invite them to have the conversation but I also encourage them to remember that mass migration has victims,” he said.
The Trump administration has pursued an aggressive immigration enforcement campaign, including expanded deportations, arguing the measures are necessary to strengthen domestic security and reduce illegal immigration.
Rights groups have criticized the policy, alleging it has undermined free speech and due process protections while creating an atmosphere of fear, particularly among ethnic minority communities that have raised concerns about racial profiling.
Relations between Trump and Pope Leo have remained strained beyond immigration.
The Vatican has declined to participate in Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace” initiative for Gaza, while the pope has also criticized the conflict with Iran that began on Feb. 28 following U.S. and Israeli strikes.
Leo recently welcomed an interim agreement between Washington and Tehran, expressing hope that the diplomatic breakthrough could help bring the conflict to an end.
