The Day Pope Francis Made Marco Rubio Weep for Migrants

Francis’s call to welcome the stranger brought Rubio to tears. Today, Trump's Secretary of State sides with those who demonize them.

Ten years ago today, Marco Rubio teared up when Pope Francis addressed a joint session of Congress and urged them to respect the dignity of immigrants seeking a better life.

In that moment, the pope’s words stirred something human, even sacred, in the Florida senator.

But ten years later, that call for compassion rings louder than ever, and Marco Rubio and his fellow Trump acolytes seem to have lost their moral compass. Pope Francis warned back in 2013 that “the world has forgotten how to weep.”

It appears Marco has, too — at least for the migrants his movement now demonizes.

Francis’s historic address came at a pivotal time. In 2015, some U.S. politicians were already stoking fears of migrants and promising border walls.

The pope — himself “the son of immigrants” — reminded Congress that almost all Americans descend from immigrants, asking: “Is this not what we want for our own children?”

That gentle rebuke challenged a rising tide of nativism. Yet in the years that followed, Trumpism brought an unprecedented assault on migrants — from travel bans to the cruelty of family separations at the border.

Pope Francis later condemned the Trump-era child-separation policy as “immoral,” backing U.S. Catholic bishops’ outcry.

In the speech, Francis issued a stark warning about violence.

He denounced the “shameful and culpable silence” over the arms trade and asked, “Why are deadly weapons being sold to those who plan to inflict untold suffering?”

It was a clear rebuke of putting profit over people’s lives. And in the decade since, the proliferation of guns and mass shootings in the United States has only accelerated. U.S. gun deaths hit a record high in 2021, with 48,830 Americans killed that year.

Still, little meaningful reform followed, making Francis’s challenge — to “stop the arms trade” and prioritize human life — more urgent than ever.

Pope Francis’s address was a summons to our better angels.

He spoke of the “transcendent dignity of the human being” and invoked the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

Ten years on, as American society grapples with deep divisions, his words echo with even greater clarity.

They remind us that beyond the politics of fear and division, our nation’s greatness is measured by how we treat the most vulnerable — whether we extend empathy to immigrant families or confront a culture of violence.

In an age of Trumpism and turmoil, Francis's and now his successor Leo’s message of compassion and justice stands as a beacon, calling us back to the core values of dignity, solidarity, and peace.

Letters from Leo is open to anyone who wants to be informed and inspired by our pope — and to turn that inspiration into action that leaves America and the world more just, less cold, and more alive with hope.

If you want to support this mission, here’s how you can help:

• Subscribe as a paid member to receive exclusive posts about the life and formation of Pope Leo and help sustain this newsletter.

• Donate with a one-time gift to fuel this project’s mission.

• Share this post (and Letters from Leo) with a friend who might enjoy it.

Whether you give $0, $1, or $1,000, your presence here matters — no matter your faith or your politics.

Thank you for reading. I’ll see you on the road.