Despite being an American, the new pope appears to be against Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown based on his social media statements.

Cardinal Robert Prevost, who was born in Chicago, was elected as the first American Pope on Thursday, taking over as the head of state for the 1.41 billion Catholics worldwide.

Known as Pope Leo XIV, the former missionary has been vocal in his criticism of the Trump administration’s immigration policies.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, 30, an undocumented immigrant and father of three from Maryland, was deported to El Salvador by the Trump administration, which he criticised in his final retweet on April 14.

The post reads, “Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?”

Pope Leo XIV, 69, also shared several articles that address the immigration views of Catholic JD Vance. One of them is titled “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”

Pope Leo shared a 2017 statement in support of DACA recipients, who are unauthorised immigrants who were taken to the US as minors by their parents.

Pope Leo also shared a post in 2018 that read: “There is nothing remotely Christian, American, or morally defensible about a policy that takes children away from their parents and warehouses them in cages. This is being carried out in our name and the shame is on us all.” 

A 2018 letter from Peru’s Catholic leaders thanking the Trump administration for “stopping the separation of migrant children from their parents” was among the messages he published that clearly opposed Trump’s immigration measures.

The letter cited Peru’s experience dealing with massive migration from Venezuela and said, “In our Latin American region and specifically Peru, we have experience dealing with migration.” 

“Thousands of Venezuelans come through our border as they flee the harsh political and economic reality their country is going through. We here in Peru and in neighboring countries have welcomed them to help them overcome, through our means, their issues.”

Given that Pope Leo lived in Latin America for the majority of his career and even obtained Peruvian citizenship, his views on immigration should not be surprising.

He spoke in both Italian and Spanish on Thursday as he made his first public appearance as Pope.

‘Leon, Leon’ chants swept over the crowd, which still seemed stunned, with several mouthing ‘An American?’

Cardinal Prevost, the first American-born pope, has just come to light as a potential candidate.

Known as Father Bob, the tennis-loving cardinal is regarded as the “least American of the Americans” and a quiet reformer who would continue Pope Francis’s work.

Nevertheless, President Trump and JD Vance were quick to congratulate him on his election, regardless of the Pope’s position.

“Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”

Vice President Vance added: “Congratulations to Leo XIV, the first American Pope, on his election! I’m sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!”

Given the United States’ existing geopolitical dominance in the secular realm, it has long been forbidden to elect an American pope; therefore, Provost’s election as pope startled the globe.

However, Prevost is also a citizen of Peru and spent years there, first serving as a missionary and later as an archbishop.

Despite his silence on issues like same-sex partnerships and female clergy, he was a favourite among the Latin American and North American cardinals.

Additionally, Prevost was twice elected prior general, or top leader, of the Augustinian religious order, which was established by St. Augustine in the thirteenth century.

He was sent from the Augustinian leadership back to Peru in 2014 to serve as the administrator and then archbishop of Chiclayo, demonstrating Pope Francis’ long-term interest in him.

‘Peace be with you,’ Leo said in his first remarks as Pope Francis’ successor from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica. He stressed a message of peace, communication, and missionary evangelisation. He donned the papacy’s traditional crimson cape, which Francis had refused to wear when he was elected in 2013.

On the second day of the conclave, the audience in St Peter’s Square cheered when white smoke spilt out of the Sistine Chapel. ‘Viva il papa!’ yelled the audience as priests made the sign of the cross and nuns sobbed.

The senior cardinal deacon arrived on the loggia an hour later, saying “Habemus Papam!” and declaring Prevost the winner. Tens of thousands of people, waving flags from all around the world, waited to find out who had won.

He did not use English when addressing the throng; instead, he used Spanish and Italian.

Leo XIII, an Italian who presided over the church from 1878 to 1903, was the final pope to use the name Leo. Leo’s 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum, which tackled capitalism and workers’ rights and moderated the church’s confrontational stance towards modernity, especially science and politics, laid the groundwork for contemporary Catholic social thinking.

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