Pope names former undocumented migrant as US bishop
Pope Leo XIV has appointed Evelio Menjivar-Ayala, a former undocumented migrant from El Salvador, as the new bishop of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston in West Virginia. Menjivar-Ayala, who migrated to the U.S. in 1990 and was ordained in 2004, has spoken openly about his experiences as a refugee and crossing the border illegally. The appointment follows the pope's recent criticism of President Donald Trump's immigration and foreign policies, which sparked a public exchange between the two leaders.
- ▪Pope Leo XIV appointed Evelio Menjivar-Ayala as bishop of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston in West Virginia.
- ▪Menjivar-Ayala was born in El Salvador and migrated to the United States in 1990, initially entering without documentation.
- ▪He was ordained as a priest in 2004 and became an auxiliary bishop in Washington in 2023.
- ▪The pope has publicly criticized President Donald Trump's immigration policies and threats toward Iran.
- ▪Trump responded by calling the pope 'WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy'.
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Pope names former undocumented migrant as US bishopSign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inboxPope Leo XIV has been highly critical of Mr Trump over immigration and the Middle East war.PHOTO: REUTERSPublished May 02, 2026, 03:36 AMUpdated May 02, 2026, 03:36 AMVATICAN CITY - Pope Leo XIV on May 1 named a former undocumented migrant as bishop of West Virginia, weeks after a high-profile verbal confrontation with US President Donald Trump.The US-born leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics has been highly critical of Mr Trump over immigration and the Middle East war.The Vatican in a statement announced the nomination of 56-year-old Evelio Menjivar-Ayala, currently an auxiliary bishop in Washington.Born in El Salvador, Menjivar-Ayala migrated to the United States in 1990,…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Straits Times — World.