Vice President JD Vance strongly responded to the US Conference of Catholic Bishops following their criticism of the Trump administration's recent rule change, which permits ICE raids in churches and schools. Vance's remarks came after the bishops condemned the policy, which they argued undermines the sanctity of religious spaces and places vulnerable communities at risk.
"As a practicing Catholic, I was actually heartbroken by that statement," Vance, 40, said during an interview on CBS News' "Face the Nation" that aired on Sunday.
Last week, the religious group criticized the move, stating it turns "places of care, healing, and solace into places of fear and uncertainty for those in need." They also expressed concern that it jeopardizes "the trust between pastors" and "the people they serve."
Further, he added, "I think that the US Conference of Catholic Bishops needs to actually look in the mirror a little bit and recognize that when they receive over $100 million to help resettle illegal immigrants. Are they worried about humanitarian concerns? Or are they actually worried about their bottom line?"
"If they're worried about the humanitarian costs of immigration enforcement, let them talk about the children who have been sex trafficked because of the wide open border of Joe Biden," he exclaimed.
When asked if the US Conference of Catholic Bishops is "actively hiding criminals from law enforcement," Vice President Vance seemed reluctant to answer.
"I think the US Conference of Catholic Bishops has, frankly, not been a good partner in common-sense immigration enforcement that the American people voted for, and I hope, as a devout Catholic, that they'll do better," he said.
In the interview, Vance also claimed that the administration has "empowered law enforcement to enforce the law everywhere, to protect Americans."
In response to being reminded that the U.S. is a nation of immigrants, Vance stated, "This is a very unique country, and it was founded by some immigrants and some settlers. But just because we were founded by immigrants, doesn't mean that 240 years later we have to have the dumbest immigration policy in the world. No country says that temporary visitors — their children will be given complete access to the benefits and blessings of American citizenship."
Vance was baptized as a Catholic in 2019, having previously been an evangelical Protestant. Reports suggest that tech billionaire Pete Thiel played a significant role in influencing Vance's decision to convert.
President Trump, who was raised Presbyterian, now identifies as a nondenominational Christian. He has had previous conflicts with leadership in the Catholic Church, including Pope Francis. First lady Melania Trump is a Catholic.
