US presidential hopeful Donald Trump has criticised Pope Francis for planning to visit the border between the US and Mexico this week.
On a Fox Business Network show, last week, Mr Trump was asked what he made of Pope Francis being at the border, standing with migrants.
“So I think that the Pope is a very political person,” Mr Trump responded over the phone.
“I think that he doesn’t understand the problems our country has.
“I don’t think he understands the danger of the open border that we have with Mexico.”
Mr Trump added: “Mexico got him to do it because Mexico wants to keep the border just the way it is because they’re making a fortune and we’re losing.”
The Republican Party contender has proposed deporting all undocumented immigrants and making Mexico pay for the construction of the wall to keep them out.
Pope Francis is scheduled to travel to the border in Juarez, Mexico, on Wednesday.
He plans to offer prayer and show solidarity with suffering people there.
Catholic leaders said the Pontiff will send an unmistakeable message.
“He will be calling on us to look with compassion on a group of people who have suffered terribly,” said Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso to CNN.
“And perhaps that will lead people to seek out some different solutions than are now being proposed.”
The Pope’s trip to Mexico comes weeks after the Supreme Court – six of whose justices were Catholics at the time – agreed to hear a challenge to President Obama’s plan to protect millions of undocumented immigrants from deportation.
Last month, the US Justice Department announced plans to repatriate some of the 313,000 people who crossed the border illegally last year.
“I don’t think the Holy Father’s trip to Juarez is political,” said Fr Timothy Kesicki, president of the US-based Jesuit Conference.
“But how could it not have political overtones? It’s going to be drawing a lot of attention to immigration at a time when we are having debates about it.”
Sources
- Politico.com
- CNN
- New York Times
- Image: Slate.com
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News category: World.
