News Brief
Kuldeep Negi
Jan 25, 2025, 05:42 PM | Updated 05:42 PM IST
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United States Border Czar Tom Homan has criticised Pope Francis over his criticism of President Donald Trump's deportation policies.
In a televised interview, Homan accused Pope Francis of hypocrisy, pointing to the Vatican's own robust security measures, including a wall around the Vatican.
Speaking in a televised interview, Homan accused Pope Francis of being hypocritical, pointing to the Vatican's strict security measures, including a wall around the Vatican.
"They have a wall around the Vatican," Homan said.
"If you illegally enter the Vatican, the crime is serious. You'll be charged with a serious crime and jailed. So he can protect the Vatican where he lives. He can build a wall where he lives, but the American people are not allowed that," he added.
Homan also called on Pope Francis to focus on addressing issues within the Catholic Church, saying "The Pope ought to stick to the Catholic Church and fix that. That's a mess," NDTV reported.
Pope Francis, a staunch defender of migrant rights, has consistently opposed restrictive immigration policies.
Almost ten years after branding Trump "not Christian" over his US-Mexico border wall proposal, the pontiff reaffirmed his position during an appearance on the Italian talk show Che Tempo Che Fa.
"If true, this will be a disgrace," Francis said of Trump's deportation pledges.
"It makes the poor wretches who have nothing pay the bill. This won't do! This is not the way to solve things. That's not how things are resolved," he added.
The Pope’s remarks comes as the Trump administration has ramped up deportation activities.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 538 individuals on Thursday and 593 on Friday, with some deportees being transported out of the country on military aircraft.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described the operation as the administration’s "largest deportation operation in history," fulfilling Trump’s campaign pledges to combat illegal immigration.
The dispute between Homan and Pope Francis underscores the sharp divide over immigration policy in the United States.
While the Trump administration persists in implementing tougher immigration regulations, critics claim the measures are cruel and contrary to American values.
Supporters, however, defend the policies as essential for ensuring national security and upholding the rule of law.
Kuldeep is Senior Editor (Newsroom) at Swarajya. He tweets at @kaydnegi.