Border enforcement chief Tom Homan delivered a blunt message to Pope Leo XIV and Catholic leaders criticizing President Trump’s immigration policies: stop talking about issues you do not understand from the ground level.

Catholic Leaders Lose Federal Funding Stream

The confrontation stems from revelations that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and affiliated organizations received hundreds of millions in federal dollars to resettle immigrants in America. After the Trump administration eliminated this funding in early 2025, Catholic leaders including Pope Leo XIV intensified criticism of border enforcement policies. Homan, a lifelong Catholic with four decades of immigration experience, rejected their interference in the immigration debate.

Border czar Tom Homan, to question on Trump feud with Pope Leo XIV: "I'm speaking for myself, a lifelong Catholic. I wish they'd stay out of immigration…If they understood the atrocities that happen on an open border, I think their opinion would change." pic.twitter.com/ZKVgKmy96D

— CSPAN (@cspan) April 14, 2026

Horrific Realities at the Border

Homan described traumatic scenes Catholic leaders never witness from Vatican City. He recalled standing in a tractor-trailer with 19 dead migrants at his feet, including a five-year-old boy who baked to death. He mentioned speaking with a nine-year-old girl raped multiple times during her journey. These atrocities, Homan argued, expose illegal immigration as far from victimless. He challenged any Catholic leader to a discussion after walking in his shoes for 40 years.

The border czar emphasized that Trump’s enforcement policies save thousands of lives annually by shutting down human trafficking networks and bankrupting cartel operations. He contrasted the current secure border with previous administrations, calling Trump’s approach the most effective in the nation’s history. Homan noted that Vatican City maintains some of the world’s strictest immigration laws, enforced by Swiss Guard, making papal criticism particularly ironic.

Catholic Teaching on Immigration Limits

The Catechism of the Catholic Church supports Homan’s position. Catholic doctrine states countries must welcome immigrants only to the extent they are able, while immigrants bear responsibility to obey their host nation’s laws and respect its culture. Critics note America has spent billions on individuals who violated immigration law, while allowing unvetted terrorists and foreign intelligence operatives across the border. Strong immigration enforcement, defenders argue, serves the common good by protecting citizens and legitimate asylum seekers from criminal exploitation.