Pope Leo announced on May 1 that Evelio Menjivar-Ayala, currently an auxiliary bishop in Washington, will lead the diocese of Wheeling-Charleston in West Virginia. The appointment of the 55-year-old marks a notable moment in the ongoing diplomatic friction between the Vatican and the Trump administration over immigration enforcement and foreign policy.
Menjivar-Ayala was born in El Salvador and arrived in the United States in 1990 as a migrant. According to his biography on the Washington diocese website, he fled poverty and conflict in his native country. He has disclosed in interviews that he was detained in Mexico while attempting to reach the United States, paid a bribe to secure his release, and crossed the border at Tijuana. He was ordained as a priest in 2004 and elevated to bishop in 2023. He is fluent in English, Spanish, and Italian.
The nomination arrives during an escalating dispute between the Pope and Trump. Last month, Leo declared Trump's threat to destroy Iran "unacceptable" and called on Americans to urge lawmakers to "work for peace." Trump responded sharply on social media, calling the pontiff "WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy" and stating he is "not a big fan of Pope Leo." The president also criticized the Pope's stance on Iran's nuclear capabilities.
The clash reflects deeper disagreements on immigration. Trump campaigned on deporting millions of undocumented migrants and has overseen a nationwide crackdown. The Pope has characterized the treatment of migrants in the United States as "extremely disrespectful" and emphasized the need to handle such cases "humanely."
Catholic leadership in America has increasingly voiced concern about the administration's immigration enforcement. Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, recently issued an open letter expressing worry about the "current climate of fear and polarization" in the country. Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark, a close ally of the Pope, has urged Americans to contact their congressional representatives and vote against renewed funding for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, which has led the migrant crackdown.
