VATICAN CITY, Oct 8 (Reuters) – Pope Leo urged visiting U.S. bishops on Wednesday to take a strong stand against President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, according to participants at the Vatican meeting.

During the session, bishops and social workers from the U.S.-Mexico border handed the pope letters from immigrants expressing fear of deportation. El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz said Leo emphasized his “personal concern” and encouraged the U.S. Bishops’ Conference to “speak strongly” on the issue.

Leo, elected in May after Pope Francis’s death, has maintained a more restrained public style than his predecessor but has increasingly challenged Trump’s immigration stance. On Sept. 30, he questioned whether the administration’s hardline policies align with the Church’s pro-life teachings, sparking criticism from conservative Catholics.

The White House has defended Trump’s approach, stressing that deporting undocumented criminals was a key campaign promise.

One letter shared with Reuters described a family too afraid to leave their home for fear of raids. “The Pope should speak out openly against the unfair treatment,” it said.

On Tuesday, Leo also met privately with around 100 American Catholics working in migrant ministries, thanking them for their efforts.