DC Archbishop Cardinal McElroy Criticizes Both Biden and Trump on Immigration, Calling Border Crisis ‘Out of Control’ While Opposing Mass ‘Roundups’

Cardinal Robert McElroy, the recently installed Archbishop of Washington, D.C., delivered a rare dual rebuke of both former President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump on immigration policy during a Sunday interview, calling the border situation under Biden “out of control” while sharply criticizing what he characterized as indiscriminate “roundup” enforcement tactics under the current administration. The comments place one of America’s most prominent Catholic leaders squarely at odds with both political parties on one of the nation’s most polarizing issues.

Cardinal McElroy’s comments carry particular weight given his position as the Catholic Church’s most visible leader in the nation’s capital. The Archdiocese of Washington sits at the intersection of faith and political power, and its archbishop frequently engages with lawmakers and administration officials from both parties. McElroy, who previously served as Bishop of San Diego — a diocese that directly borders Mexico and serves a large immigrant population — has long been vocal on immigration matters. His acknowledgment that the Biden-era border situation was “out of control” represents a notable concession from a Church leader who has been more closely associated with progressive positions on social issues. Under Biden, U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded more than 2.4 million encounters at the southern border in fiscal year 2023 alone, the highest annual figure in recorded history, before numbers began declining in 2024 following executive actions to restrict asylum claims.

At the same time, McElroy’s opposition to Trump’s enforcement strategy reflects deep institutional Catholic concern about the human consequences of aggressive immigration operations. Since taking office in January 2025, the Trump administration has dramatically expanded Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, including deploying military resources to the southern border, conducting large-scale workplace raids, and arresting undocumented immigrants in and around locations that were previously considered sensitive, such as churches, schools, and courthouses. The administration has also moved to end temporary protected status for hundreds of thousands of immigrants from several countries, and has invoked wartime legal authorities to expedite deportations. Catholic Charities agencies across the country — which collectively comprise one of the largest social service networks assisting immigrants in the United States — have reported increased fear and disruption in immigrant communities as a result of these operations. Several Catholic parishes have publicly declared themselves sanctuaries, putting them in potential conflict with federal authorities.

McElroy’s dual criticism underscores a position the institutional Catholic Church has long sought to occupy — one that rejects both open-border policies and harsh enforcement measures in favor of what Church leaders describe as a humane, orderly, and just immigration system. Whether this middle-ground stance gains political traction remains uncertain. With immigration consistently polling as one of the top concerns among American voters, and with both parties staking out increasingly divergent positions, McElroy’s remarks are likely to draw scrutiny from multiple directions. In Congress, bipartisan immigration reform efforts have repeatedly collapsed over the past two decades, most recently in early 2024 when a border security deal negotiated with White House support was abandoned amid political pressure. As the Trump administration continues to escalate enforcement operations and legal challenges mount in federal courts, religious leaders like McElroy are positioning themselves as moral voices in a debate that shows no signs of resolution. The coming months will test whether the Church’s institutional credibility on immigration can influence a political landscape where compromise has proven elusive.