Pope Leo XIV Sends a Migrant Bishop to Mar-a-Lago

In a move loaded with symbolism, the new bishop of Palm Beach — home to Mar-a-Lago — is a Queens immigrant priest known for defending migrants and the poor.

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Pope Leo XIV on Friday named Fr. Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez — a priest from Corona, Queens — as the sixth Bishop of Palm Beach, Florida.

Rodríguez was born in the Dominican Republic, came to New York in 2009, and became a U.S. citizen in 2018. He leads Our Lady of Sorrows, a vibrant Queens parish of 17,000 mostly immigrant faithful.

Known for walking with migrants and the poor, he and his team have even helped families facing ICE deportation. Now Bishop-elect Rodríguez will shepherd about 260,000 Catholics in the Diocese of Palm Beach, which notably includes Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort.

Pope Leo’s decision to place an immigrant-rights champion in Trump’s backyard sends a clear message.

A ‘Thorn’ in Trump’s Side

Florida’s political climate can be unforgiving. There will be critics who label him just another “woke” Pope Leo appointee. There will be pressure to “stick to religion, not politics” — as if caring for immigrant families were not a core religious mandate.

But if the tenor of Rodríguez’s past ministry is any guide, he will navigate these waters with both courage and charity. He’s known for being approachable and joyful, a big man with an even bigger heart.

As I told CBS News today, the move obviously sends a message to the United States, and I predict Rodríguez “will be a thorn in the president’s side.”.

This appointment aligns with Pope Leo XIV’s pattern of challenging Trump-era policies on moral grounds. Here’s the rundown of what’s happened.