Pope Leo has previously criticised US President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, calling for better treatment of refugees. Published On 23 Apr 202623 Apr 2026Pope Leo has criticised the world’s treatment of migrants and refugees, claiming that they are often viewed as “worse than house pets or animals”.Leo, who has previously attacked United States President Donald Trump’s hardline immigration policies, called for better treatment of migrants as he flew back to Rome on Thursday following a four-nation Africa tour.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list“They are human beings, and we have to treat human beings in a humanitarian way and not treat them worse … than house pets or animals,” the pope said in a press conference.Leo, who is the first head of the Roman Catholic Church from the US, did not reference any specific country when calling out the ill-treatment of immigrants.The pope has previously questioned whether the Trump administration’s hardline policies are in line with the Catholic Church’s strict pro-life teachings, in remarks that drew sharp criticism from conservative US Catholics.Speaking on Thursday, Leo said that countries have a right to control their borders, but urged richer nations to help develop the countries that migrants are leaving, so they do not feel the need to leave.What are richer countries doing to change the situation for poorer countries?” he asked. “And why can’t we seek … to change the situations in [those] countries?” The Catholic Church’s Pope Leo XIV condemns the ill-treatment of migrants [Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters]Critic of the Iran warPope Leo also condemned the killing of protesters in Iran earlier this year, after President Trump attacked the Catholic leader for not speaking out on the subject whilst criticising the US-Israeli attacks on Iran. Advertisement “I condemn all actions that are unjust. I condemn the …
