This was unexpected.
President Donald Trump is facing an unusual attack from the Catholic Church, as a prominent bishop publicly denounced his historic immigration enforcement plan — siding instead with a softer approach favored by former President George W. Bush.
Bishop Mark Brennan, leader of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston in West Virginia, released a lengthy statement blasting the administration’s mass deportation strategy. He accused the president of implementing “harsh measures” that do not always distinguish between “true criminals” and those here illegally who have not committed other crimes.
The bishop also took aim at Trump’s policy of separating illegal immigrant parents from their children, claiming it was inconsistent with a government that “says it wants to help families.” He argued that America’s economy “depends” on millions of workers who entered the country unlawfully.
Comparing Illegal Immigrants to the Holy Family
Brennan went further, comparing some migrants to Mary and Joseph fleeing Israel with the infant Jesus — a reference from Matthew 2 in the Bible. “Our Church looks at the person, not his or her legal status,” he said, while downplaying the seriousness of illegal entry by likening it to misdemeanors such as shoplifting or loitering.
He praised Catholic Charities for aiding migrants and claimed that past civil disobedience against laws — such as northern states refusing to enforce the Fugitive Slave Act — showed that “unjust laws do not bind in conscience.”
Blaming Both Parties for Immigration Failure
While directing most of his criticism at Trump, Brennan also accused both Republicans and Democrats of failing to fix America’s broken immigration system. He said Bush’s proposal was “acceptable if imperfect” but blocked by Republicans, and accused Barack Obama of failing to act on immigration despite full Democratic control of Congress during his first two years. “Our politicians have failed us,” he declared.
White House Responds with Force
The Trump White House immediately hit back, calling Brennan’s statement “rife with inaccuracies and misinformation.”
Press Secretary Abigail Jackson stressed that illegal immigrants are not “law-abiding” by definition and that the president is doing exactly what he promised the American people — enforcing the law, securing the border, and protecting U.S. sovereignty.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said President Trump is leading “the most extensive deportation effort in American history.” She added that, unlike “ineffective leaders such as Joe Biden,” Trump is giving federal law enforcement the authority to fully enforce immigration laws, stressing, “A nation without laws ceases to be a nation.”