Pope Francis released an emotional plea to U.S. bishops, denouncing the Trump administration's deportation orders.
"What is built on the basis of force, and not on the truth about the equal dignity of every human being, begins badly and will end badly," the Pope wrote in an X post Tuesday with a link to his letter.
In the letter, Pope Francis called upon "all the Christian faithful and people of good will" to put peoples' dignity and fundamental rights ahead of legitimizing and creating public policies that threaten them. He then stated he has been following closely "the major crisis" taking place in regard to the Trump administration's mass deportations.
What is built on the basis of force, and not on the truth about the equal dignity of every human being, begins badly and will end badly. https://t.co/S9UDh2TPtO
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) February 11, 2025
"That said, the act of deporting people who in many cases have left their own land for reasons of extreme poverty, insecurity, exploitation, persecution or serious deterioration of the environment, damages the dignity of many men and women, and of entire families, and places them in a state of particular vulnerability and defenselessness," he wrote.
The Pope then reiterated that the poorest and most marginalized people deserve to be treated with as much dignity as the people with the most power.
"What is built on the basis of force, and not on the truth about the equal dignity of every human being, begins badly and will end badly," he continued.
Pope Francis urged "all the faithful of the Catholic Church, and all men and women of good will, not to give in to narratives that discriminate against and cause unnecessary suffering to our migrant and refugee brothers and sisters."
"With charity and clarity we are all called to live in solidarity and fraternity, to build bridges that bring us ever closer together, to avoid walls of ignominy and to learn to give our lives as Jesus Christ gave his for the salvation of all," he wrote.
His Holiness has been an advocate for immigrants and their rights since he was elected head of the Catholic Church in 2013. His first trip outside of the Vatican, according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, was to Lampedusa, Italy, an island where thousands of migrants pass through in entering Europe.
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