Fox News contributor Raymond Arroyo sharply criticized Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson on Friday following the mayor’s recent meeting with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, accusing the Democrat of using the pontiff’s hospitality to advance his own political agenda.
Appearing on Fox & Friends, Arroyo weighed in on Thursday’s Vatican meeting between Johnson, Pope Leo, and a delegation of Chicago civic leaders. According to the mayor, discussions touched on the pope’s recent remarks regarding the Catholic Church’s historical connection to slavery, as well as federal immigration enforcement efforts under President Donald Trump.
Johnson told reporters that immigration enforcement was among the topics raised during the conversation.
“We did talk about ICE,” the mayor said. He explained that the pope wanted to know how Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities were affecting Chicago and whether enforcement operations were still occurring within the city.
When asked for his reaction, Arroyo argued that Johnson was attempting to use the meeting to bolster his own image and political priorities.
“What the mayor is trying to do here,” Arroyo said, “is recruit the pope and wash his own negligence and terrible policies in Chicago by proximity.”
The Fox News contributor took particular issue with Johnson’s discussion of ICE enforcement, emphasizing that immigration authorities are carrying out laws already on the books.
Arroyo noted that ICE agents are tasked with enforcing immigration regulations involving individuals who may have criminal records or whose visas have expired. If critics disagree with those policies, he argued, the proper avenue is changing the law rather than obstructing its enforcement.
He further accused Johnson of fostering resistance to federal immigration operations, pointing to what he described as a community activist network that alerts people when ICE agents are expected to be active in the area.
For Arroyo, the larger concern was the political optics surrounding the Vatican visit. He suggested that Pope Leo and his advisers should exercise caution when hosting elected officials whose appearances alongside the pontiff could create the impression that the Vatican is endorsing specific political positions.
“I would urge them to be very careful,” Arroyo said, arguing that politicians can misuse such opportunities to cloak controversial policies in the moral authority of the papacy.
The meeting reportedly lasted about an hour and involved leaders from the pope’s hometown of Chicago. While acknowledging the shared connection to the city, Arroyo warned that public perception could easily turn the visit into something more political than pastoral.
He also challenged Johnson’s characterization of Chicago as a city that is “strong and transforming.” Arroyo painted a far darker picture, citing violence in the city and claiming that approximately 7,000 people had been shot over the past three years.
Referring to Chicago as a “killing field every weekend,” Arroyo argued that efforts to portray the city’s trajectory in a positive light are difficult to reconcile with ongoing public safety concerns.
He concluded by accusing the mayor of creating the impression that Pope Leo supports policies associated with Johnson’s administration, calling such an implication “nefarious” and lamenting that the meeting unfolded in a way that could be interpreted as political endorsement rather than dialogue.
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