MAGA 'mad at the Pope' again after he publicly challenges key Trump policy

Pope Leo XIV waves on the day he holds a general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, May 28, 2025. REUTERS/Remo Casilli

MAGA-aligned conservatives are criticizing Pope Leo after he publicly challenged a signature immigration policy associated with the Trump administration.

In a post on the social platform X Sunday morning, the pope said: “No one should be forced to flee, nor exploited or mistreated because of their situation as foreigners or people in need! Human dignity must always come first!”

President Donald Trump’s second term has made mass deportation a central pillar of its immigration policy. The administration is pushing to deport 1 million immigrants a year, vastly increasing the reach of ICE and using “expedited removal” to remove people more quickly — even people without criminal records.

The pope's statement, laser‑sharp in its moral framing, was widely understood as a critique of harsh immigration enforcement policies, particularly those tied to mass deportations and restrictions on asylum.

Almost immediately, MAGA voices mobilized and posted critical comments under his post.

Conservative content creator Matthew Marsden wrote: "Pope Leo, you are disenfranchising millions of Catholics. Please do not be like your predecessor. I am already tuning you out. You will probably be the last Pope of my lifetime. I urge you to reflect on how this affects law abiding Catholics."

"Pope Leo, As a Catholic, these types of posts confuse me. The situation these foreigners find themselves in results from them breaking the laws of the countries they are illegally residing in. They are fleeing because they broke the law and will be held accountable. I am confused how holding people accountable for a country's laws is characterized as exploited or mistreated. Can you please clarify your statement?" wrote a user.

Journalist Michael McGough wrote: "Is it possible that the genuine Christian position is what conservatives decry as 'open borders'?"

Investor Jason Calacanis wrote: "A message from the Vicar of Christ How you treat the weak and the poor is how you treat Christ himself. The Pope speaking about all displaced people who are being treated cruelly, from the Palestinians in Gaza to immigrants in America, the Uyghurs in China and Jews being murdered in cold blood. Christ didn’t pick which humans deserve compassion, he gave his love to all of them. … all religions have compassion and charity at their core: Zakat, tzedakah, karuna, dāna for a reason. It is the foundation of society itself."

Sara McGee, a Democratic candidate for Texas House of Representatives, wrote: "They are mad at the Pope because he follows actual biblical teachings. That should tell you all you need to know about MAGA."

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