Pope Leo XIV says spiritual needs of detained migrants deserve attention

Auxiliary Bishop Jose María García-Maldonado with eight spiritual leaders including Sister JoAnn Persch attempt to bring Communion to detainees at the Broadview, Illinois, facility and were not admitted Nov. 1, 2025. / Credit: Bryan Sebastian, courtesy of Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Nov 4, 2025 / 16:52 pm (CNA). Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday said the spiritual rights of migrants in detention must be considered.“Many people who’ve lived for years and years and years, never causing problems, have been deeply affected by what’s going on right now,” he said Nov. 4 outside Castel Gandolfo. “I would certainly invite the authorities to allow pastoral workers to attend to the needs of those people. Many times they’ve been separated from their families for a good amount of time. No one knows what’s happening, but their own spiritual needs should be attended to.”Catholic leaders in Chicago sought to bring holy Communion to detainees Nov. 1 at a Chicago-area building that holds people detained in the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. Auxiliary Bishop Jose María García-Maldonado and others were not admitted despite requesting access weeks in advance and attempting to follow U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s guidelines.A federal judge heard testimony Nov. 4 about conditions at the building, the Broadview facility operated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Immigration advocates say conditions are inhumane, with people being kept at the Broadview facility for days, sleeping on floors, having medications withheld, with no showers. ICE has not responded to a request for comment.The pope said the situation of migrants in detention warrants attention.“I think in the first place, the role of the Church is to preach the Gospel. And just a couple days ago, we heard Matthew’s Gospel chapter 25, which says Jesus is very clearly, at the end of the world, we’re going to be asked, ‘How did you receive the foreigner? Did you receive him and welcome him or not?’” Leo said.  “There’s a deep reflection that needs to be made in terms of what’s happening” regarding migrants in detention, the pope said.