Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, warned Sunday that the Trump administration's immigration enforcement is creating "fear in a rather widespread manner" across the country.
Coakley, who serves as archbishop of Oklahoma City, said the administration should take a more compassionate approach to immigration, while he acknowledged the importance of national sovereignty.
"We certainly have a right and a duty to respect borders of our nation," Coakley told CBS' "Face the Nation."
"This is kind of a fundamental principle in Catholic social teaching regarding immigration and migrations: People have a right to remain in their homeland," he added.
"But they also ought to be allowed to migrate when conditions in their homeland are unsafe and necessitate moving to a place where they can find peace and security."
Elected last month to a three-year term leading the bishops' conference, Coakley has often aligned with the church's socially conservative wing.
Still, he has emerged as a vocal critic of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, joining other Catholic leaders in raising concerns about enforcement tactics.
Following President Donald Trump's inauguration in January, Coakley issued a statement arguing that "the majority of undocumented immigrants in Oklahoma are upstanding members of our communities and churches, not violent criminals."
His remarks come amid recent leadership changes in the Catholic Church.
Less than a week ago, Pope Leo XIV appointed Bishop Ronald Hicks as the next archbishop of New York, replacing Timothy Cardinal Dolan, a prominent conservative cleric and a Trump ally.
Dolan announced in February that he would step down upon turning 75, as required by church law.
Hicks, who grew up in the Chicago area like Leo and previously served as a missionary in Latin America, recently endorsed a statement from the bishops' conference criticizing the Trump administration's immigration raids.
Coakley defended that message on Sunday, saying it was intended to calm growing unease in migrant communities.
"In communities with a more dense migrant population, there is a great deal of fear and uncertainty, anxiety because of the level of rhetoric that is often employed when addressing issues around migration and the threats of deportation," he said.
Coakley said he has not yet met with Trump or Vice President JD Vance. Vance previously accused church leaders of placing financial interests ahead of humanitarian concerns after a bishops' conference official criticized the administration's immigration policies.
The archbishop said he nonetheless hopes to work with administration officials, adding he looks forward to "engaging with them over matters of mutual concern."
Since taking office in May, Leo has publicly challenged the Trump administration on several high-profile issues.
He has suggested that those who support the "inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States" may not be "pro-life," and he has cautioned against a potential U.S. military intervention in Venezuela.
For his part, Trump has said he would be open to meeting with the Pope, telling Politico this month, "I'm sure he's a lovely man" like Leo's older brother, who has praised Trump and visited the White House in May.
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