The appointment of Cardinal Robert McElroy of San Diego to succeed Cardinal Wilton Gregory as the archbishop of Washington, D.C., is a not-so-subtle message from Pope Francis: The Catholic Church is not going to stop fighting for the rights of immigrants even as a demagogue promising mass deportations prepares to enter the White House a second time.
Consider the remarks McElroy made to a migration conference in November 2016, weeks after Trump was elected the first time: “For us, as the Catholic community of the United States, it is unthinkable that we will stand by while more than 10% of our flock is ripped from our midst and deported. It is equally unthinkable that we as Church will witness the destruction of our historic national outreach to refugees at a time when the need to offer safe haven to refugees is growing throughout the world.”
As the Catholic community, it is unthinkable that we will stand by while more than 10% of our flock is ripped from our midst and deported.
cardinal robert mcelroy in november 2016
By choosing McElroy, a like-minded cardinal, to lead the Archdiocese of Washington, Francis is not only sending support to the church, but he’s also placing McElroy there to contend with the mass deportation policies that President-elect Donald Trump has promised to begin carrying out on day one.
McElroy was reportedly not the pope’s first choice to replace Gregory. According to the Catholic news outlet The Pillar, Francis had previously decided against McElroy as Gregory’s replacement, but when Trump was elected, he changed his mind to McElroy, a staunch supporter of immigrants. That reported decision to switch would fall in line with the pope’s numerous statements about immigration, including a recent declaration in a general audience in August 2024 decrying “those who systematically work by all means to drive away migrants.” He said that “this, when done knowingly and deliberately, is a grave sin.”
By placing McElroy in D.C., Francis is once again taking more than the usual interest in American politics. In September 2024, the pope said American Catholics should choose the “lesser of two evils” when voting for president. By choosing McElroy, who holds a doctorate in political science from Stanford University as well as a doctorate in moral theology from the Gregorian in Rome, the pope is clearly showing that he does not want a sycophant in the role.
And the appointment is a poke at Trump, whom the pontiff has had a contentious history with. Most recently, Trump named a Francis detractor, Brian Burch, as his pick for ambassador to the Vatican.
While the cardinal will be installed as archbishop of Washington on March 11, his presence is already felt in the D.C area, both for the Catholic Church and politics. His appointment signals to the incoming administration that policies on immigration will be of tantamount importance to the Holy See. Along with other bishops who have been vocal on immigration, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) made clear in its last meeting that bishops will speak out forcefully if the Trump administration moves to violate human rights.
Sending McElroy to the nation’s capital (he’s spent the last 10 years in San Diego) is Francis’ signal that he knows he needs someone there who not only understands church politics but also understands the current state of American politics. As a border prelate, McElroy has been a strong supporter of DACA, the program that protects Dreamers. In a statement from 2016 when he was serving as bishop, McElroy said the elimination of DACA would lead to “massive deportation.”
Considered to be a liberal by conservative Catholics, he is more in line with traditional Catholic social teachings, which not only embrace care for immigrants, but also the right to life. He has also been very outspoken on political polarization in America, both as a bishop and a cardinal. His stances on LGBTQ people and sexuality were outlined in a podcast interview and an article with America Magazine. He is strongly against against bigotry toward LGBTQ people and says the language in the catechism about homosexuality is a disservice. He has also made the case for women serving as deacons being an “easy fix,” even though the final document of the Vatican Synod in October 2024 left the discussion of women deacons open.
Considered to be a liberal by conservative Catholics, he is more in line with traditional Catholic social teachings. The importance of the Washington archbishopric cannot be understated. While Gregory has had a good tenure in that role, he too had run-ins with Trump, most notably over the then-president’s visit alongside first lady Melania Trump to the John Paul II shrine in D.C. During that visit, peaceful protesters were aggressively cleared with tear gas and rubber bullets so Trump could get a photo of his wife and himself kneeling at the shrine to promote “international religious freedom.” Gregory decried the visit, focusing his comments on the Knights of Columbus, who run the shrine, stating: “I find it baffling and reprehensible that any Catholic facility would allow itself to be so egregiously misused and manipulated in a fashion that violates our religious principles, which call us to defend the rights of all people even those with whom we might disagree.” Pope Francis today named a new archbishop for DC — San Diego Cardinal Robert McElroy. The pope is sending to the US capital, as Trump returns, an unusually outspoken, eloquent advocate for migrants, LGBTQ people and for engagement. Really interesting quotes in this thread: 1/x While Trump enjoyed the support of 54% of Catholic voters in 2024, I predict an inevitable collision between McElroy and the USCCB on one side and the Trump administration on the other over the issue of immigration. The incoming president is determined to conduct some type of mass deportation, which will put him onto a direct collision course with Catholic Church members and clergy, as well as Pope Francis. Add to this the recent debacle over Haitian immigrants and the efforts of Trump supporters like Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Catholic, to stop immigration, and I believe the supposed “goodwill” that Trump has received from evangelicals will not be the same from a major portion of the American contingent of the Catholic Church. McElroy’s tenure in Washington, D.C., won’t be anything like the 1939 Frank Capra movie “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” He is neither naïve nor dumb, and he is just the kind of intelligent, moral clergy member who will stand out against the sycophantic religious leaders willing to support whatever Trump wants. Consider the remarks McElroy made to a migration conference in November 2016, weeks after Trump was elected the first time: “For us, as the Catholic community of the United States, it is unthinkable that we will stand by while more than 10% of our flock is ripped from our midst and deported. It is equally unthinkable that we as Church will witness the destruction of our historic national outreach to refugees at a time when the need to offer safe haven to refugees is growing throughout the world.”
Anthea Butler is a professor of religious studies and Africana studies at the University of Pennsylvania. 
