In a move that has sparked widespread controversy, Pope Leo XIV has appointed a bishop whose role appears to be mobilizing priests against ICE deportations in California. This appointment is being interpreted by many as a direct challenge to the immigration enforcement policies of the Trump administration, and it is fueling growing tensions between religious institutions and federal authorities.
According to Catholic priest Rich Vitale, who published a video on his TikTok platform (@fatherrichv), Pope Leo XIV’s very first appointment of a bishop Michael Pham, a Vietnamese immigrant, was intended to be seen as a political message because this bishop is encouraging his priests to accompany migrants to their court appointments in an effort to deter ICE from arresting them when they show up for their hearings.
Newsweek magazine confirmed that Pope Leo appointed a bishop specifically tasked with organizing resistance against the Trump administration’s immigration policies, fueling debates over church involvement in political activism. On June 13, 2025, Newsweek published an article titled “Pope Leo’s First US Bishop Takes Action Against Trump Migrant Crackdown” and expressed the following:
• “The first U.S. bishop appointed by Pope Leo XIV has called for priests, deacons and parish leaders to accompany migrants to court and stand in solidarity with them.” [1]
• “This call to action by Catholic leaders highlights growing faith-based opposition to President Donald Trump’s mass deportation policy, which has drawn criticism from religious groups and the Vatican.” [1]
The Catholic Church’s actions are contributing to a broader push for open borders under the guise of humanitarian concern, effectively encouraging civil resistance against U.S. immigration law. Those who support Trump’s immigration policies see this move by the Catholic Church as a politically charged maneuver that undermines national sovereignty and law enforcement, adding another layer of strain to an already polarized political climate.
This type of behavior is nothing new. Historically, in non-Catholic countries, Rome has often operated behind the scenes to destabilize nations and steer political and social upheaval in ways that ultimately serve the interests of the church. In various eras, particularly during the Reformation and the rise of Protestant monarchies, the Jesuits were known for their covert missions, infiltrating courts, influencing education, and even involving themselves in plots and revolts aimed at toppling governments seen as hostile to papal authority.
Their strategy frequently involved fomenting unrest and manipulating public sentiment—not necessarily to support the people’s cause, but to shift the balance of power in favor of Catholic dominance. These efforts, though often cloaked in religious or moral language, were part of a sinister plan to expand the reach of Rome, sometimes at the cost of national sovereignty and civil stability.
Ellen G. White, a co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, warns that the Protestant world is blindly allowing Rome to regain power and influence under a guise of peace and unity. She describes a gradual resurgence of papal authority that is embedding itself in key areas of society and government. This growing influence will eventually lead to a revival of past forms of persecution against those who remain faithful to the Bible, especially Sabbath-keepers.
“The Protestant world will learn what the purposes of Rome really are, only when it is too late to escape the snare. She is silently growing into power. Her doctrines are exerting their influence in legislative halls, in the churches, and in the hearts of men. She is piling up her lofty and massive structures, in the secret recesses of which her former persecutions will be repeated. Stealthily and unsuspectedly she is strengthening her forces to further her own ends when the time shall come for her to strike. All that she desires is vantage-ground, and this is already being given her. We shall soon see and shall feel what the purpose of the Roman element is. Whoever shall believe and obey the Word of God will thereby incur reproach and persecution” (Great Controversy, p. 581).
Sources
[1] https://www.newsweek.com/pope-leos-first-us-bishop-against-trump-ice-migrant-crackdown-2084985
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When one looks at the violence of the protesters and their fake moral outrage, their flags—including the pride flag, one has to wonder what a “bishop” of any Church would be involved in this movement of both lawlessness and preserving lawlessness. For the vast majority rounded up for deportation are gang members, violent felons and a few members of ISIS even…..shame on the bishop. God is not with a movement that assaults law enforcement officers, engages in arsons and throws rocks at passing cars. It’s the same spirit behind this that gave the beast his seat.