Pope Leo XIV greets Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker at the Vatican, Vatican City. (Simone Risoluti/Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS)
Leo was reportedly heartened when told the operation appeared to be winding down in Chicago, according to Pritzker’s comments.
Earlier this month, a group of U.S. bishops released a statement supported by Leo that criticized some of ICE’s operations – including mass deportations – and spoke of public fears about the missions.
Released from Baltimore, the statement – endorsed by a vote of 216-5 with three clergy abstaining – read in part that bishops are "bound to our people by ties of communion and compassion in Our Lord Jesus Christ [and] are disturbed when we see among our people a climate of fear and anxiety around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement."
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Leo had also called into question whether people who oppose abortion but agree with the "inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States" can be considered "pro-life."
"If people are in the United States illegally, there are ways to treat that. There are courts; there’s a system of justice," he told the Italian press at the time, adding that leaders should look for ways to treat people with dignity while enforcing the law.
But, he added that every nation has its own right to determine immigration procedures and laws.
"No one has said that the United States should have open borders," Leo, born Robert Prevost, said.
Pritzker said of his audience that "you could feel [the pope’s] humanity."
"It was a special moment, even for this Jewish boy," he said.
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The governor also invited Leo to visit Chicago and presented him with a case of "Da Pope" beer from local Illinois brewery Burning Bush.
"We’ll put that in the fridge," the Pope quipped as he smiled at the gift.
The last papal visit to Chicago was in 1979 when John Paul II held an audience at Grant Park, according to Capitol News Illinois.
Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.
He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.
Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.
Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to charles.creitz@fox.com.
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