Pope Francis has drawn the ire of MAGA Republicans after criticizing the closure of the U.S. border to migrants, calling it “madness” during an interview with CBS’s Norah O’Donnell on 60 Minutes.
He also condemned Texas’ legal action against a Catholic charity that aids undocumented migrants as “sheer madness.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office had filed a lawsuit against Annunciation House, accusing it of various illegal activities, but a judge ruled against Paxton in March. Despite this, Paxton’s office continued its efforts against the charity.
President Joe Biden’s support for a bipartisan border bill aimed at reducing illegal crossings collapsed due to opposition from Donald Trump.
Biden’s administration is exploring the legality of shutting down the border without congressional authorization.
Francis suggested that the U.S. should welcome migrants and decide their cases humanely, possibly sending them back after a fair consideration.
His comments triggered outrage from Trump supporters, with some labeling him a hypocrite and questioning the Vatican’s stance on illegal aliens.
Conservative commentators criticized Francis, arguing that illegal aliens are not migrants and that countries have no moral obligation to accept anyone. They also pointed to the Vatican’s security measures, accusing Francis of inconsistency.
Some urged Francis to dismantle the walls around Vatican City and criticized him for what they perceived as asking Western countries to abandon their security and freedoms.
