On Tuesday, Pope Leo XIV strongly affirmed the U.S. bishops’ statement condemning the Trump administration’s immigration raids, urging Americans to listen to migrants and treat them humanely and with dignity.

His Holiness was questioned regarding the “special message” that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops adopted during their general assembly held last week in Baltimore.

The bishops sharply criticized the President’s mass deportation agenda and the “vilification” of migrants. They expressed profound concern over the fear and anxiety that immigration raids are instilling in communities, along with the denial of pastoral care to migrants held in detention centers.

“We are disturbed when we observe a climate of fear and anxiety among our people concerning issues of profiling and immigration enforcement,” the bishops’ statement read. “We are saddened by the current state of public discussion and the denigration of immigrants. We are concerned about the conditions within detention centers and the lack of access to pastoral care,” the bishops’ statement continued, also opposing “the indiscriminate mass deportation of people.”

Leo, who is the first American pope, conveyed his appreciation for the U.S. bishops’ message. He encouraged Catholics and all people of goodwill to listen to and treat migrants with dignity, even if their presence in the country is unauthorized.

“I believe we must seek out ways of treating people humanely, recognizing and respecting the dignity they possess,” Leo told reporters. “If individuals are in the United States illegally, there are proper procedures to address that. There are courts, there is a system of justice.”

The pontiff has previously called upon local bishops to speak out on matters of social justice. Catholic leaders have been critical, noting that fear of immigration raids has led to a significant decline in Mass attendance at some parishes.

Earlier this year, the federal government reversed a directive from the Biden administration that had prohibited immigration agents from conducting raids in sensitive areas such as churches, schools, and hospitals.

Leo acknowledged the challenges within the U.S. migration system, but he emphasized that no one has advocated for the U.S. to maintain open borders and that every country has the right to choose who can enter and the methods by which they do so.

“However, when people are leading good lives, many of them for 10, 15, or 20 years, to treat them in a manner that is extremely disrespectful to say the least — and regrettably, there has been some violence — I believe the bishops have been very clear in their pronouncements,” he told reporters as he departed the papal country house situated south of Rome.

“I would simply invite all individuals in the United States to listen to them,” Leo added.

The bishops’ “special message” marked the first instance since 2013 that they had drafted a single-issue statement during one of their meetings.