WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The White House defended President Donald Trump’s hardline migration policy on Wednesday after United States (US) born Pope Leo XIV hit out the “inhuman” treatment of migrants in the United States.

“Someone who says ‘I’m against abortion, but I’m in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants who are in the United States,’ I don’t know if that’s pro-life,” Pope Leo told reporters on Tuesday.

The first US head of the Catholic Church added that someone who is anti-abortion but supports the death penalty, which remains legal in many US states, was also “not really pro-life.”

Chicago-born Leo, who was named pope in May after the death of Pope Francis, made the comments to journalists at his summer residence Castel Gandolfo.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who is a Catholic, rejected the pope’s criticisms when asked to respond to them on Wednesday.

“I would reject there is inhumane treatment of illegal immigrants in the United States under this administration,” Leavitt told reporters in a briefing.

She said that there was “significant, inhumane treatment of illegal immigrants” under previous president Joe Biden, when record numbers of people crossed the southern border with Mexico.

“This administration is trying to enforce our nation’s laws in the most humane way possible, and we’re upholding the law,” Leavitt added.

Months before his election as Pope Leo, the former Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost shared articles criticising Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who is also a Catholic, on social media, particularly on issues of migration.