A prominent Catholic Church leader and ally of Pope Leo XIV has strongly criticized the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, describing the rounding up and deportation of immigrants as “inhumane” and “morally repugnant.”
McElroy was appointed to lead the archdiocese in the US capital by Pope Francis in January, the month of Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration. He was among the more than 100 cardinals who took part in the conclave that elected the first American pope in May.
“This is simply not only incompatible with Catholic teaching, it’s inhumane and is morally repugnant,” he added.
“The scenes that occurred in Los Angeles where you saw mass agents of the government descending on car washers and Costco parking lots to round up whoever they can round up is not a sign of going after those who have criminal convictions.”
Trump has said his tough immigration policies are necessary to keep criminals off US streets and to ease the burden on US institutions. He has embraced the sinister image of a migrant detention facility surrounded by swampland and reptiles.
“It’s known as ‘Alligator Alcatraz,’ which is very appropriate, because I look outside and it’s not a place I want to go,” Trump said Tuesday.
McElroy argued that the government had a right to deport people convicted of “serious crimes,” adding that the problems with immigration were rooted in an American political system that had failed to address immigration law and reform over the last 15 years.
But McElroy said people were now “afraid even to go to church” after the Trump administration removed the policy that prohibited immigration agents from making arrests in sensitive areas, like churches.
“What is behind this?” he asked, referencing the stricter immigration policies and enforcement tactics. “I fear that one of the main things behind it, in the minds of many who are pushing it, is the sense that the people who are coming to our country now are of a different kind.
“And that’s been a great theme in American culture and history all through our country’s immigration, when the Irish came, when the Italians came, when the Poles came, the refrain has been the same, ‘these are inferior people,’ and that’s what’s going on now… it’s an outrage.”
The cardinal, a former Bishop of San Diego, is one of several Catholic bishops who have spoken out against Trump’s migration policies.
But Vice President JD Vance, a devout Catholic who converted in 2019, earlier this year suggested the bishops’ criticisms of the Trump administration’s policies were motivated by financial interests because the church receives federal funding to resettle immigrants. McElroy hit back in the interview, saying the government funding was far from sufficient to cover the programs and the church had to pick up the shortfall.
“Those who say that haven’t done the math on what the church has been contributing over and above what the government has contributed to these programs,” he added.
Since his election, Pope Leo has urged respect for migrants, describing himself as “the descendant of immigrants, who in turn chose to emigrate.” McElroy said that while Leo XIV spoke about immigration in a “universal” context, “when you look at what he’s saying, it has clear implications for us.”
During the interview, Cardinal McElroy also criticized Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” – a sweeping piece of legislation that would extend tax cuts and increase funding for national security, partly paid for by the biggest cut to the federal social safety net in decades. He’s recently signed a letter with other bishops and faith leaders opposing the bill.
He said it appeared that millions would “ultimately lose their health care because of this bill so that billionaires can receive greater tax cuts,” adding: “There’s something radically wrong with a society that takes from the poorest to give to the wealthiest. It’s just wrong.”
In a statement, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson rejected the criticism – particularly that leveled at the Trump agenda bill.
“The American people elected President Trump, not a DC Archbishop, to serve as their President,” Jackson said. “President Trump is fulfilling the mandate the American people gave him in November to turn his campaign promises – like no tax on tips, social security, and overtime – into law. The One, Big, Beautiful Bill will be one of the most successful pieces of legislation ever passed and will supercharge our economy to benefit all Americans.”
When it came to church reforms and priorities for Pope Leo, McElroy talked about the importance of addressing the role of women.
He said this topic had been an “immensely powerful current” during recent Vatican assemblies, the synod, which looked at questions of church renewal and looked at how to include more women in decision making roles.
“The major thrust has to be look at where women ‘aren’t’ and then ask why?”
McElroy supports ordaining women as deacons, who carry out functions like a priest but without saying Mass or hearing confessions, which he says is consistent with the church’s theology. “It’s a controversial question within the church,” he admits, “but I think it would be important to move in that direction.”
Cardinal McElroy’s candidacy for Washington DC was bolstered by his doctorate in political science from Stanford University, which he was awarded for a thesis on moral norms in foreign policy.
“My great fear is that the lessons that nations will take away from this intervention against Iran is that if they have nuclear weapons then they won’t be subject to this sort of attack,” he said. “I think that’s an open question. Will this encourage more proliferation because the incentives are stronger now or clearer now, and that’s very ominous.”
Finally, the cardinal said he believes that Chicago-born Pope Leo would make a visit home – although he did not know when.
“I think when he does come to the United States it will be a great moment for our country.”