Read New Pope’s Far-Left Takes On Immigration, Climate, Race

His Holiness Leo XIV, the new pope elected on Thursday by Catholic Cardinals, is the first American pope in history, but he also has an extensive record of reposting left-wing political views online, from open borders to climate change to George Floyd.

Before taking the name Leo XIV, the new pope was named Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, a Chicago-born, Villanova University graduate who spent most of his career in Peru. And while in Catholic circles an American pope was always brushed off as a near impossibility, the choice of Leo XIV appears to set up a major foil to conservatives in America, including the Trump administration.

Leo XIV appears to be cut from a similar cloth as former Pope Francis on many issues, and, as evidenced primarily by reposts on social media, he has seemingly put social justice and climate change at the fore. While Francis’ overtures were easy for Americans to brush off because he was not one, if Leo XIV takes a similar approach, it may come with more gravity.

Despite his similarities to Francis, initial conservative Catholic reactions appear to be cautiously optimistic.

The Catholic Association put out a statement tacitly pointing out much of the confusion that came with Francis, stating that Leo XIV “will be scrutinized as much by how he upholds the Church’s social teachings as his ability to govern a church that remains sorely in need of good governance. He takes his name from a pope who stood firmly against the negative culture of moral relativism. As a canon lawyer, he is uniquely equipped to help bring about greatly needed doctrinal and moral clarity both within the Church and in a world that so desperately needs it.”

It is also worth noting, as my colleague John Daniel Davidson points out, that Leo XIV appears to be “more conservative” than Trump and MAGA on same-sex marriage and abortion.

The data on Leo XIV is nonetheless worth reviewing.

Illegal Immigration

Perhaps most concerning is Leo XIV’s stance toward immigration, as he appears to be in favor of open borders and has reposted anti-border control messages in the past.

Under his Robert Prevost account on Twitter (now X), Leo XIV reposted a September 5, 2017, message talking about reactions from American Cardinals Blase Cupich, Wilton Gregory, and Roger Mahoney, who stated that the Trump administration ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was “heartless,” a “betrayal,” and “profoundly regrettable.”

In the two days preceding, Leo XIV also reposted tweets stating, “Saying Trump’s ‘bad hombres’ line fuels ‘racism and nativism,’ Cali bishops send preemptive blast on DACA repeal,” and, “I stand with #Dreamers and all people who are working toward an immigration system that is fair, just, and moral. #DefendDACA #DACA.”

Leo XIV also reposted a message from Cardinal Cupich saying, “There is nothing remotely Christian, American, or morally defensible about a policy that takes children away from their parents and warehouses them in cages. This is being carried out in our name and the shame is on us all.”

On Feb. 3 of this year, Leo XIV shared a National Catholic Reporter article titled “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others,” which criticizes Vance’s use of the theological concept of ordo amoris (a theological concept that expresses the proper structure and order of love) in the context of immigration. He likewise shared an article critical of Vance’s position that was published in America Magazine (a Jesuit publication).

His most recent repost was of a post that said, “As Trump & Bukele use Oval to [crying laughing emoji] Feds’ illicit deportation of a US resident … once an undoc-ed Salvadorean himself, now-DC Aux +Evelio asks, ‘Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?’”

Guns, Climate Change, Covid, and George Floyd

Leo XIV also shared various posts that suggest a left-wing position on other issues like gun control, climate change, Covid, and George Floyd.

In a May 29, 2020, post, the then-Cardinal’s Twitter account shared a message from Bishop Michael Olson saying, “I join my voice and prayers to those of my brother bishops that we might work hard to end racism in our hearts and in society. May God give comfort to the family of #GeorgeFloyd in this time of anguish.”

The next day, he shared a similar message from Bishop Michael Burbidge, stating, “We continue to pray for Mr. George Floyd and his family. In his honor, and as we prepare for Pentecost, we ask the Holy Spirit to unite us and heal our wounds. May all hatred, violence and prejudice be eradicated so that we may live in harmony and in the peace of Our Lord Jesus.”

The same day, he actually posted his own words, stating, “We need to hear more from leaders in the Church to reject racism and seek justice.”

For gun control, Leo XIV reposted a message from U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., stating, “To my colleagues: your cowardice to act cannot be whitewashed by thoughts and prayers. None of this ends unless we do something to stop it.”

On climate change, the now-pope reposted an article stating, “Bishop, @CatholicRelief concerned U.S. won’t meet carbon emission goals after #Trump order.”

In August of 2021, the then-cardinal reposted a message calling for the proliferation of coronavirus vaccines, stating, “May God grant us the grace to face #COVID19 with the strength of faith, ensuring that vaccines are available for all, so that we can all get immunized,” along with another post characterizing getting a vaccine as “an act of love.”

However, as Adrian Vermeule, an American legal scholar and outspoken Catholic, stated, “I repeat that the future is far more unpredictable than the commentators (on all sides) ever realize. His Holiness Leo XIV will have a long papacy. Today’s issues, or yesterday’s tweets, are not tomorrow’s.”