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Skip next section Pope Leo urges US to welcome immigrants 07/04/2026 July 4, 2026 Pope Leo urges US to welcome immigrants As Americans celebrate 250
Skip next section Pope Leo urges US to welcome immigrants 07/04/2026 July 4, 2026 Pope Leo urges US to welcome immigrants As Americans celebrate 250 years of independence, Pope Leo urged them to welcome and protect immigrants.
"To receive (immigrants) with compassion and generosity is not only an act of charity, but also a recognition of the dignity that belongs to every human person," he said in a letter sent to the United States.
The pope’s appeal came as he visited the Italian Mediterranean island of Lampedusa, which is a gateway for migrants risking dangerous Mediterranean crossings to reach Europe from Africa. Leo is the Catholic Church's first US pope.
He has sharply criticized the Trump administration’s policies aimed at curtailing migration into the US. The pope called the US administration's treatment of immigrants "inhuman." His stance drew the ire of President Donald Trump.
The BriefWire