Pope Questions 'Pro‑Life' Claims Over U.S. Immigration as White House Pushes Back

Overview

• Pope Leão XIV called the treatment of undocumented immigrants in the United States “desumano” and tied a consistent pro‑life ethic to rejecting capital punishment and mass deportations.
• The White House defended President Trump’s immigration approach, with officials saying strict enforcement fulfills campaign promises and makes the country safer while rejecting the “inhumane” label.
• The comments came in response to a query about the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Keep Hope Alive award for Sen. Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois.
• Durbin reportedly declined the honor, and the pope said he was not familiar with all the details and urged evaluating the senator’s roughly 40 years of service.
• News outlets differ on the setting of the exchange, with one report placing it at the Vatican on Sept. 30 and another outside the pope’s residence in Castel Gandolfo.