Cardinal Blase Cupich spoke out at a Chicago event honoring Pope Leo XIV against America's immigration system, condemning those who "scapegoat those who are here without documents."

Cupich slammed "both parties" At Rate Field, the home of the Chicago White Sox, on Saturday to celebrate Leo, a Chicago native, for "failing" to fix the immigration system.

Why It Matters

There appears to be growing faith-based opposition to President Donald Trump's mass deportation policy, which has drawn criticism from religious groups and the Vatican.

Just after Pope Leo was elected in May, his brother John Prevost told the media that his sibling was "not happy with what's going on with immigration."

"[Pope Leo XIV] has great, great desire to help the downtrodden and the disenfranchised, the people who are ignored," Prevost said.

Just last week, Reverend Michael Pham, the first U.S. bishop appointed by Pope Leo XIV, called for priests, deacons and parish leaders to accompany migrants to court and stand in solidarity with them.

What To Know

Cupich addressed a crowd of thousands who had gathered at the stadium for mass.

"Humanity is greatly diminished whenever the unborn, or the undocumented, the unemployed, the unhealthy are excluded, uninvited and unwelcome, or whenever we tell ourselves that they are of no concern to us," Cupich said, reports local newspaper Block Club Chicago.

"We should keep this in mind as we in our city, in our nation, face the challenges of immigration," he said.

But he added: "Without question, countries have a duty to secure their borders, protect the public good from crime and violence, and enact reasonable rules for immigration."

"At the same time, it is wrong to scapegoat those who are here without documents, for indeed they are here due to a broken immigration system," he went on. "And it is a broken immigration system which both parties have failed to fix."

During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump pledged to carry out the largest mass deportation program in U.S. history. Since returning to office on January 20, the president has overseen widespread ICE detention and deportation operations across the country.

Last week saw protests break out against ICE raids in multiple cities, including Los Angeles, where violent clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement occurred and Trump authorized the deployment of National Guard troops in the city.

Pham, who was named bishop of San Diego, California, by Pope Leo in May, wrote a letter calling for solidarity with immigrants on June 20, saying, "The people of faith stand with immigrants and refugees."

Trump, who welcomed Pope Leo, the first American Pope, said in May that he was open to talking to Pope Leo about immigration.

America's relationship with the Catholic Church has long been important. Newsweek broke down the behind-the-scenes role it has played in American diplomacy and culture here.

Some 53 million U.S. adults are Catholic, according to U.S. Census Bureau data from 2024, meaning the Pope, bishops, and what they say will have an impact on at least 20 percent of Americans.

What People Are Saying

Cardinal Blase Cupich said during this address, according to the Chicago Sun Times: "So many of the undocumented have for decades been connected to us. They are here not by invasion, but by invitation — an invitation to harvest the fruits of the earth that feed our families; an invitation to clean our tables, homes and hotel rooms; an invitation to landscape our lawns; and yes, even an invitation to care for our children and elders."

Pope Francis previously said in a letter to U.S. bishops that while nations have a right to defend themselves, "the act of deporting people who in many cases have left their own land for reasons of extreme poverty, insecurity, exploitation, persecution or serious deterioration of the environment, damages the dignity of many men and women, and of entire families, and places them in a state of particular vulnerability and defenselessness."

U.S. border czar Tom Homan pushed back at the time, saying: "He wants to attack us for securing our border. He's got a wall around the Vatican, does he not? So he's got a wall around that protects his people and himself, but we can't have a wall around the United States."

What Happens Next

Trump has not backed down on his immigration position, calling for increased deportation efforts in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York, what he called the "core of the Democrat Power Center" on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Diocese of San Diego plans to mobilize clergy for the court accompaniment action on June 20, 2025, while faith-based and legal challenges to the Trump administration's immigration policies.

The impact of these Church-led and interfaith actions on immigration enforcement and public opinion remains to be seen.

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