Vance pushes back on Vatican's criticism of Trump immigration policies, calls it 'troubling'

US Vice President JD Vance pushed back against Pope Leo's criticism of the Trump administration's treatment of migrants, saying he disagreed with the Vatican's position and stressing that mass migration also creates victims.

Speaking in an interview on Fox News' The Ingraham Angle, Vance, who is Catholic, responded to Pope Leo's recent comments on immigration.

"I do think that some of the things that have come out of the Vatican on the immigration question in particular have been troubling, and ultimately I disagree with it," Vance said.

He added that he remains open to discussions with Catholic leaders who oppose the administration's immigration policies.

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"What I tell the Catholic leadership I talk to who disagree with our immigration policies, you know, I'm not hostile about it. I invite them to have the conversation but I also encourage them to remember that mass migration has victims."

Pope Leo calls for reflection on treatment of migrants

Leo, the first US pope, has called for a "deep reflection" in the United States on the treatment of migrants under the Trump administration.

He has described the administration as "extremely disrespectful" towards immigrants and criticised what he called "their inhuman" treatment.

President Donald Trump has pursued a hardline immigration crackdown and deportation campaign that rights groups say has violated free speech and due process rights while creating an unsafe environment, particularly for ethnic minorities who have expressed concerns about racial profiling.

Trump has defended the measures, saying they are intended to strengthen domestic security and curb illegal immigration.

Differences extend beyond immigration

Pope Leo has also criticised other policies pursued by the Trump administration.

The Vatican has declined to join Trump's "Board of Peace" initiative for Gaza.

The pope has also criticised the Iran war that began on February 28, when the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran, and recently welcomed an interim agreement between Washington and Tehran, expressing hope that it would bring the conflict to an end.

Trump and Pope Leo remain at odds

The public differences between President Donald Trump and Pope Leo have widened in recent months, with the two leaders disagreeing on issues ranging from immigration and the West Asia conflict to foreign policy.

Pope Leo has repeatedly spoken out against the conflict in the Middle East, saying, "As a pastor, I cannot be in favour of war."

"I would like to encourage all to make efforts to look for answers that come from a culture of peace and not from a place of hate and division," he said.

Trump responded by criticising the first US-born pontiff, calling the Pope "WEAK on crime" and "terrible for Foreign Policy".

"He wasn't on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald Trump," Trump wrote on social media. "If I wasn't in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican."

Trump also faced criticism after posting an image of himself depicted as a Jesus-like figure about an hour after making those remarks. The image was later removed. Asked about it, Trump acknowledged sharing the post and told reporters he believed it showed "me as a doctor".

Vance, who converted to Catholicism, has also defended Trump, saying the Vatican should "stick to matters of morality".