Vice President JD Vance has publicly disagreed with the Vatican’s stance on immigration, describing its views as “troubling” following repeated criticisms from Pope Leo regarding Donald Trump’s immigration policies.

Vance, a Catholic, expressed his concerns during an interview on Fox News’ “The Ingraham Angle” show. “I do think that some of the things that have come out of the Vatican on the immigration question in particular have been troubling, and ultimately I disagree with it,” he stated.

He added, “What I tell the Catholic leadership I talk to who disagree with our immigration policies, you know, I’m not hostile about it. I invite them to have the conversation but I also encourage them to remember that mass migration has victims.”

Pope Leo, the first U.S. pope, has been a vocal critic of Trump’s approach to immigration. He has called for a “deep reflection” in the US on the treatment of migrants, characterized the Trump administration as “extremely disrespectful” to immigrants, and condemned what he termed “their inhuman” treatment.

Trump has pursued a hardline immigration crackdown and deportation drive, which rights groups contend has violated free speech and due process rights, creating an unsafe environment, particularly for ethnic minorities who have voiced concerns about racial profiling.

Trump, who has been critical of Leo, maintains that his policies aim to improve domestic security and curb illegal immigration.

The Vatican’s disagreements with Trump extend beyond immigration. Pope Leo has also criticized other policies, including the Iran war that began on February 28 with US and Israeli strikes on Iran. The pope recently praised an interim deal between Washington and Tehran, expressing hope it would end the conflict. Additionally, the Vatican declined to join Trump’s “Board of Peace” initiative for Gaza.