Pope Leo XIV has spoken out on U.S. politics, stating that Catholic politicians should be evaluated on their entire policy spectrum and describing the nation's immigration practices as "inhuman." He challenged the notion of being "pro-life" if one opposes abortion but supports the death penalty or inhumane immigration policies. The Pope's comments mark his first public engagement with key U.S. political debates since becoming pontiff. The White House press secretary rejected the Pope's assessment of immigration treatment.

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.