Pope Francis has expressed strong opposition to US President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed mass deportation of undocumented migrants, calling it “a calamity.”
During an interview with Italian television channel Nove on Sunday, the pontiff warned that such actions would disproportionately affect vulnerable people. “If it is true, it will be a calamity, because it makes the poor wretches who have nothing pay,” Francis said.
**Trump’s Deportation Plans**
Trump, 78, who returns to the White House on Monday for a second term, has pledged to carry out what he calls “the largest deportation operation in American history,” targeting an estimated 11 million undocumented migrants. His administration is also considering ending birthright citizenship, despite its constitutional guarantee.
The Pope has been a vocal critic of Trump’s immigration policies. In 2016, he remarked, “Anyone, whoever he is, who only wants to build walls and not bridges is not a Christian,” in response to Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric.
**Legal Challenges and Global Backlash**
Trump’s proposed measures are expected to face significant legal hurdles, as well as resistance from some countries that might refuse to accept deportees. Analysts believe Trump may resort to executive orders and even declare a national emergency to implement aspects of his immigration agenda.
Pope Francis has consistently advocated for compassion toward migrants, describing harsh anti-immigrant policies as “madness.” He has also criticized certain right-wing US Catholic leaders for their extreme stances on immigration.
As Trump prepares to take office, the debate over immigration policy is set to intensify both in the US and on the global stage.
