House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from California, expressed her hope on Friday that the newly elected Pope Leo XIV, marking a historic moment as the first American pope, would advocate against mass deportations.
Social media posts attributed to Cardinal Robert Prebble previously critiqued some of the immigration policies from the Trump administration.
MSNBC’s Chris Yensing noted the Pope’s sensitivity to immigration issues, referencing his past remarks. He asked Pelosi if she believed the Pope could wield a significant moral influence on current immigration debates.
“I certainly hope so,” Pelosi responded.
Pelosi believes the church can have a female priest for her grandson
Earlier this year, Prebble shared an article from a Catholic reporter discussing Vice President JD Vance, which emphasized the order of loving one’s family, neighbor, and community.
Regarding those comments, Pelosi commented on the importance of the Pope’s views on such matters, indicating how these perspectives can influence elected leaders.
Learn about Pope Leo XIV, the first American clergyman elected
The Pope’s brother, John Pribble, shared with CNN affiliate WBBM that he believes Leo XIV is concerned about the current immigration stance of the U.S.
“He seems to feel the U.S. is headed in the wrong direction on immigration,” he mentioned. “These are people, not just statistics. They deserve to be treated with humanity.”
Meanwhile, President Trump has made immigration reform a key focus of his administration. In the first 100 days, he noted that over 32,000 undocumented immigrants were arrested, with significant numbers linked to criminal activities.
Trump praised Leo XIV’s election, expressing pride and anticipation for their upcoming meeting, calling this moment an honor for the nation.
Vance, having converted to Catholicism, also congratulated the new Pope shortly after his election.
