‘Trolling Trump’? Pope donates $500k to help migrants trying to reach US
In a move that many have interpreted as a shot across the bow of US President Donald Trump, Pope Francis has donated $500,000 to help Central American migrants stranded in Mexico as they try to reach America.
The aid is specifically intended to assist 75,000 people who arrived in Mexico last year as part of six migrant caravans.
The donation will be taken from the Catholic Church’s Peter’s Pence fund, from church collections around the world. Peter’s Pence said in a statement that aid to migrants by governments and private individuals has dropped as global media coverage of the crisis decreased.
“All these people were stranded, unable to enter the United States, without a home or livelihood,” Peter’s Pence said. “The Catholic Church hosts thousands of them in hotels within the dioceses or religious congregations, providing basic necessities, from housing to clothing.”
Also on rt.com Trump cuts all aid to Guatemala, Honduras & El SalvadorThe US has heaped pressure on Mexico to stop the flow of migrants from Central America moving towards the US border. Last month, Trump cut all aid to Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, accusing the Central American countries of not doing “a thing for us.”
Many have interpreted the Pope’s donation as a rebuke of Trump’s policies towards migrants and some are even saying that the US president is being “trolled” by the pontiff.
‘Pope Francis donates $500G to migrants at U.S.-Mexico border’You’ve just been trolled... by the Pope. 😎https://t.co/EqKd7mHC0z?
— RynheartTheReluctant (@TheRynheart) April 28, 2019
To @Franklin_Graham & @realDonaldTrump. This is what Christianity looks like. Pope Francis donates $500,000 to migrants at US border #SmartNewshttps://t.co/jJJz5NTS8p
— mom-against-trump (@jb31570) April 28, 2019
Bet you Dump is pissed.. Pope Francis donates $500,000 to migrants at US border - ABC News - https://t.co/yBkNb0kXPp via @ABC
— Brian Lewis- Not a bot (my Russian sucks) (@brianlewis3282) April 27, 2019
A dangerous “caravan” or our fellow human beings?What would Jesus do?Help them?Or build a wall?Francis knows.Donald just wants his wall.Pope Francis donates $500,000 to migrants at US border - ABC News - via @ABChttps://t.co/itTdnmOqqG
— Richard W. Painter (@RWPUSA) April 27, 2019
That act of kindness is going to piss off the 🍊 #racistinchief - good! I hope that it makes him angry...Pope Francis donates $500,000 to migrants at US border - ABC News https://t.co/MsmQMOBs5T (via @ABC)
— USS London 🍊=💩😲👎 (@openpodbaydoor_) April 27, 2019
However, not everyone is happy that this is how the Pope chose to use the funds.
POPE GIVING AWAY PARISHIONERS MONEY.SHOULDN'T HE "ASK" IF THAT'S HOW THEY WOULD LIKE THEIR TYTHES SPENT?WOULD HAVE. HELPED A LOT OF HOMELESS PEOPLE OR VETS.Pope Francis donates $500,000 to migrants at US border - ABC News - https://t.co/bARh1DC8qt via @ABC
— Joan Shelton ⭐⭐⭐ (@Joanie513) April 28, 2019
How nice of him. $500,OO0 of who's money. "Pope Francis donates $500,000 to migrants at US border - ABC News - via @ABC "https://t.co/bSOmgdmnAi
— America is back! (@nancylee2016) April 27, 2019
Pope Francis recently spoke out against governments that build walls to keep out migrants, saying: “Those who build walls will become prisoners of the walls they put up.”
Many of the migrants attempting to reach the US say they are escaping violence, persecution and poverty in their home countries.
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