Pope Leo criticizes "inhumane" treatment of immigrants in the US.
"Someone who says they are against abortion but agrees with the inhumane treatment of immigrants in the United States, I don't know if that's pro-life," said the pontiff.
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Leo XIII appeared to have delivered his strongest criticism yet on Tuesday of U.S. President Donald Trump's immigration policies, questioning whether they were in line with the pro-life teachings of the Catholic Church.
"Someone who says they are against abortion but agrees with the inhumane treatment of immigrants in the United States, I don't know if that's pro-life," the pontiff told reporters outside his residence in Castel Gandolfo.
The Catholic Church's position that life is sacred from conception to natural death is one of the strongest teachings of the denomination, which has 1,4 billion members.
Leo, the first American pope, was responding to a question from a US journalist who inquired about the country's politics.
The White House said Trump was elected based on his many promises, including deporting illegal criminal aliens. "He is fulfilling his promise to the American people," spokeswoman Abigail Jackson responded in a statement.
Elected in May to succeed the late Pope Francis, Leo demonstrated a much more reserved style than his predecessor, who frequently criticized the Trump administration.
Leo was questioned about a decision by the Archdiocese of Chicago to award a prize to Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat who supports abortion rights. The move drew criticism from conservative Catholics, including several U.S. bishops.
"It is very important to look at the overall work that the senator has done," said the Pope.
"I understand the difficulty and the tensions, but I think, as I myself have said in the past, it is important to look at many issues that are related to what the Church teaches," he said.
"Someone who says they are against abortion but says they are in favor of the death penalty is not truly pro-life," the Pope said.
