Pope Francis sharply criticized U.S. President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown in an unusual open letter to America's Catholic bishops on Tuesday, saying criminalising migrants and taking measures built on force "will end badly".

Francis emphasized that immigration laws and policies should be subordinated to the dignified treatment of people, especially the most vulnerable.

Francis also appeared to take aim at Vice President JD Vance’s recent use of a medieval Catholic concept to justify the administration’s deportation policy.