Story perspectives

Pope Appoints Undocumented Immigrant Bishop; 58% Reject Trump

5/2/2026

50 4

Summary

Story summary

Pope Leo XIV appointed former undocumented immigrant Evelio Menjivar-Ayala as bishop of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, directly rebuking President Donald Trump’s immigration stance.
Menjivar-Ayala fled El Salvador’s civil war, entered the United States in 1990 hidden in a car trunk, and worked as a janitor and construction laborer before becoming a priest.
An Angus Reid Institute poll reported that 58% of respondents found President Trump’s criticism of the pope unacceptable.

History

Historical Context

The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, signed by President Ronald Reagan, legalized about 2.7 million undocumented residents and banned hiring illegal immigrants. Undocumented workers later swelled to roughly 12 million, spurring later bills like the 2005 Border Protection Act and the 2013 Gang of Eight proposal. Faith-based organizations now draw on that legacy to press for immigrant rights in current debates.

1 of 2

Story summary

Pope Leo XIV appointed former undocumented immigrant Evelio Menjivar-Ayala as bishop of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, directly rebuking President Donald Trump’s immigration stance.
Menjivar-Ayala fled El Salvador’s civil war, entered the United States in 1990 hidden in a car trunk, and worked as a janitor and construction laborer before becoming a priest.
An Angus Reid Institute poll reported that 58% of respondents found President Trump’s criticism of the pope unacceptable.

1 / 2