KANSAS CITY, Kansas (LifeSiteNews) — Unlike the majority of clergy who have weighed in on President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City has offered qualified praise for some of his proposals.
In an opinion piece published in his diocesan newspaper last week, Archbishop Naumann expressed agreement with Trump on certain issues, especially the dangers of the drug trade, child trafficking, and gang activity.
“Those elected to lead our nation are responsible to protect the integrity of our country and keep safe the citizens of the United States,” the archbishop wrote. “I commend President Trump and those in his administration for addressing this serious, national threat.”
Few bishops in the U.S. have dared to offer praise for Trump, even in passing. A letter written by Pope Francis to the U.S. episcopacy this week claims that Trump’s plans constitute a “major crisis.”
Bishop Michael Burbidge of the Arlington, Virginia, diocese has been one of a small group of clergy to not simply repeat liberal talking points about the issue. In a statement released earlier this month, Bishop Burbidge plainly stated “Catholic teaching does not support an open border policy.”
North Carolina Bishop Michael Martin of Charlotte and Bishop Luis Rafael Zarama of Raleigh have also weighed in. While repeating standard Democrat Party arguments, the two did admit that “a country has the right to regulate its borders and to control immigration.”
Such remarks stand in contrast to the explicitly open borders comments made by liberal clergy like Jesuit priest James Martin, Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, and Chicago’s Cardinal Blase Cupich.
Archbishop Naumann further stated that he “salute[s] President Trump and his administration for making it a priority to find … lost children and youth.” He then said that “the long-term solution to the immigration issue includes having a secure border.” He added that he would “love” to speak with Trump or Vice President JD Vance about the need to have “generous” refugee resettlement policies.
But Archbishop Naumann, who previously lead the USCCB’s pro-life committee, was not entirely conciliatory.
He stated that he was “saddened by the recent remarks of Vice President Vance accusing the Catholic Church of economically profiting from our partners.” He also argued that the U.S. is obligated to take in persons who are fleeing political persecution, while also calling on Trump to grant amnesty to persons who came to the U.S. illegally and who haven’t committed a crime since then.
Last month, Vance, a Catholic, told CBS’s “Face the Nation” that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops needs to “recognize that when they receive over $100 million dollars to help resettle illegal immigrants, are they worried about humanitarian concerns or are they actually worried about their bottom line?”
Vance also wondered why the USCCB hasn’t talked about “the children who have been sex trafficked because of the wide-open border of Joe Biden … [or] people like Laken Riley who were brutally murdered by an illegal immigrant].”
Archbishop Naumann turned 75 last June. Per the 1983 Code of Canon Law, bishops are to submit their resignation to the Vatican when they cross that threshold. LifeSite is not aware of developments related to who will succeed him or when he will officially step down.