Vásquez was most recently selected by Francis to oversee the Diocese of Tyler, also in Texas, after he dismissed its former bishop, Joseph Strickland, who had openly accused the pope of being a heretic and called into question the validity of his leadership.

Pope Francis on Sunday criticized President-elect Donald Trump's reported plan to sharply intensify immigration enforcement actions across the U.S. in the days after his inauguration.

The pope’s comments provided the latest indication of a potential rekindling of frictions between the Vatican and the next Trump White House.

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis said Donald Trump’s plans to impose mass deportations of immigrants would be a “disgrace,” as he weighed in on the incoming U.S. president’s pledges nearly a decade after calling him “not Christian” for wanting to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border.

After the pope criticized Trump's deportation plans, MAGA figures have suggested deporting illegal migrants to Vatican City.

Pope Francis condemned President-elect Donald Trump's plans to deport illegal migrants from the US, calling them a "disgrace." He urged Trump to lead society well.

Pope Francis has blasted Donald Trump's plans to deport thousands of undocumented migrants from the US after taking office as a "disgrace". The president-elect has pledged to launch the biggest-ever deportation of illegal migrants in the country's history after his inauguration today.