Pope Francis has made his thoughts on President-elect Donald Trump’s immigrant deportation plans abundantly clear, dubbing them a “disgrace” in an interview Sunday.
Whilst appearing on Italian television show Che Tempo Che Fa, Francis was asked for his thoughts on Trump’s incoming plans to mass expel undocumented immigrants in the U.S.
“If it is true, it will be a disgrace,” Francis shared. “It makes the poor wretches who have nothing to pay the unpaid bill. It won’t do. This is not the way to solve things.”
Francis has repeatedly voiced his support for migrants throughout his almost 12-year papacy, advocating for integration and describing efforts to “repel migrants” as a “grave sin” in an August 2024 weekly address.
Pope Francis, when asked about the Trump administration’s planned deportation of migrants, says: “if it is true, it will be a disgrace, because it makes the poor wretches who have nothing pay the bill for the imbalance. It won’t do. This is not the way to solve things.” https://t.co/Pntg6HIzEc
— Christopher Lamb (@ctrlamb) January 19, 2025
Trump is expected to sign a flurry of executive orders pertaining to border control and immigration within his first few days of presidency, subsequently fulfilling his campaign promise to launch “the largest deportation program in American history.”
“On Day 1, I will launch the largest deportation program in American history to get the criminals out,” Trump declared during a rally at Madison Square Garden in October. “I will rescue every city and town that has been invaded and conquered, and we will put these vicious and bloodthirsty criminals in jail, then kick them the hell out of our country as fast as possible.”
The president-elect also vowed to declare a national emergency regarding the U.S.-Mexico border, allowing him to deploy military forces and secure additional funding for deportation efforts from the Pentagon.
Speaking to conservative network RSBN on Sunday ahead of Trump’s inauguration, “border czar” Tom Homan said, “ICE Officers across the country are going to be un-handcuffed. They’ve had handcuffs on the last four years. They’re going to do their job. And we’re going to target the worst first.”
When the network suggested the border policy was “not out to get anybody,” Homan claimed, “we’re about saving lives.”
