Newsom’s Office Quotes ‘Catholic Church’ on Trump’s Cruel Immigration Policy

"Wow," is right.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom's press office has posted the Catholic Church's official statement on President Donald Trump's "cruel" immigration policy.

Wow.

The Catholic Church on @realDonaldTrump’s cruel immigration policy:

“This is not policy, it is punishment, and it can only result in cruel and arbitrary outcomes,” the bishop, a longtime advocate of immigration reform and himself a naturalized U.S. citizen from Mexico,…
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) June 19, 2025

The post continues.

… continued. “Already we are hearing stories of innocent fathers and mothers being wrongly deported, with no recourse to appeal.”

Wait … who's this bishop and does he speak for the Vatican now?

Newsom's press office links to a piece in The Independent on Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles, whom they've nicknamed "the Catholic Church." As far as we know, Pope Leo XIV hasn't expressed any specific views on the Trump administration's immigration policy. There was a minor dust-up between him and Vice President J.D. Vance, who's a converted Catholic, over the interpretation of a line of scripture. The Daily Beast reported that the pope "snubbed" Vance when, in fact, he gave him a private audience. We do know, however, that NGOs like Catholic Charities played a big part in the invasion of the border during the Biden administration.

Josh Marcus reports for The Independent (which has changed its logo to celebrate Pride Month):

The archbishop of Los Angeles sharply criticized the Trump administration’s “cruel and arbitrary” immigration policy, following widespread protests against the White House migration agenda throughout the city.
In a column this week for the Catholic magazine Angelus, Archbishop José Gomez accused the administration of having “no immigration policy beyond the stated goal of deporting thousands of people each day.”
“This is not policy, it is punishment, and it can only result in cruel and arbitrary outcomes,” the bishop, a longtime advocate of immigration reform and himself a naturalized U.S. citizen from Mexico, continued. “Already we are hearing stories of innocent fathers and mothers being wrongly deported, with no recourse to appeal.”

So Newsom's press office is quoting from an article in a Catholic magazine by one archbishop and attributing it to "the Catholic Church." Wow.

The LA Archbishop is not The Catholic Church
— Susan❤️‍🔥Voxsusana (@voxsusana16) June 19, 2025

The quote is attributed to Archbishop José H. Gomez, who does not represent the entirety of the Catholic Church.
— Otto Pen's MAGA Aunt (@MoxieLady411) June 19, 2025

To be more accurate, it was Archbishop José H. Gomez who said this. He does not represent the entirety of the Catholic Church or speaks for it for that matter.

But way to misrepresent the Catholic Church.
— Cletus Roscoe (@CletusRoscoe1) June 19, 2025

The Archbishop of Los Angeles does not have the authority to speak on behalf of the Catholic Church on these matters. Every country has their own immigration policies and most other countries aren’t nearly as lax as the U.S. government has been for the last few decades. They’re…
— Double J 🇺🇸 (@DoubleJ40916727) June 19, 2025

The post continues:

… far more strict with more severe penalties. We’re focusing on the illegal immigrants who’ve committed violent crimes, which is necessary for public safety, so spare us the sanctimonious pleas for compassion. Where’s the compassion for myriad young girls who’ve been trafficked and sexually assaulted or murdered by their smugglers, or the women who’ve been raped and murdered by illegals let in the previous administration? As a Catholic, I urge this Archbishop to please sit this one out. You sound silly and ignorant of the facts.

Wow. It’s an LA archbishop lol
— 🌺Sweet Wahine🌺 (@SweetWahini) June 19, 2025

The Catholic Church does not say this.
A lone bishop who is in opposition to the Catechism says this.
— Red Dot in a Blue Dot in a Red State (@reddotaustintx) June 19, 2025

The pope is the Catholic Church not some bishop. He doesn’t represent the entire church. He represents his opinions and his experiences. He doesn’t speak for Catholics across America.
— Southern Right Cross (@almcb25) June 19, 2025

He does not speak for the Catholic Church. This post is a gross misrepresentation.
— Ever Earnest Mann (@ever_e_mann) June 19, 2025

The Catholic charities are making a fortune off of the NGO money that comes from the taxpayer. They’re making a fortune on these immigrants being here. When the money is cut off, guess what so will their compassion be cut off question. Sorry not sorry
— MJ (@Mama104) June 19, 2025

Wow, way to misrepresent the Catholic Church. Purposefully.