Catholic priest who criticized Trump immigration crackdown named West Virginia bishop
Evelio Menjivar-Ayala, an El Salvador-born Catholic priest and advocate for immigrants, has been appointed as the new bishop of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston in West Virginia. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop in Washington, D.C., and has been critical of former President Donald Trump's immigration policies. Menjivar-Ayala emphasized listening to marginalized communities and serving all parishioners in his new role.
- ▪Evelio Menjivar-Ayala was born in El Salvador and fled the country's civil war as a teenager before settling in the United States.
- ▪He was appointed by Pope Leo XIV to lead the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, replacing Bishop Mark Brennan.
- ▪Menjivar-Ayala has been a vocal critic of mass deportation policies while affirming nations' rights to control their borders.
- ▪Over 40% of parishioners in the Washington, D.C. archdiocese are Latino, compared to only 2.4% of West Virginia's population.
- ▪Cardinal Robert McElroy praised Menjivar-Ayala for his advocacy and care for immigrant communities in Washington.
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ABC NewsLiveVideoShowsGood Morning AmericaShopGMAInterest Successfully AddedWe'll notify you here with news aboutTurn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? OffOnStream onCatholic priest who criticized Trump immigration crackdown named West Virginia bishopWest Virginia's next Catholic bishop was born in El Salvador and has been critical of President Donald Trump's immigration crackdownByJOHN RAAND GIOVANNA DELL’ORTO Associated PressMay 1, 2026, 4:06 PM1:55Auxiliary Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala speaks on a panel about immigration at Georgetown University in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Luis Andres Henao)The Associated PressCHARLESTON, W.Va.
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