ROME — The mayor of Chicago has described Pope Leo XIV as a significant worldwide partner for social justice initiatives and immigration reform following their private meeting at the Vatican, highlighting how their common Chicago origins and shared values could strengthen efforts to support at-risk populations.
“As the mayor of Chicago, we are incredibly elated and proud of him,” Johnson told The Associated Press during a Friday interview, one day following his private audience with the Chicago-born pope.
The mayor expressed comfort in knowing someone from Chicago “can speak to justice” while defending “the most vulnerable among us.”
Johnson, serving his first term as a progressive Democrat who leads America’s third-largest city, made the Rome trip alongside approximately 50 local officials, generating significant media attention. He has been vocal in his opposition to U.S. President Donald Trump and has praised Leo for challenging the Iran conflict and the Trump administration’s immigration measures.
During their meeting, Johnson said he thanked the pontiff “for his courage and his strength and particularly his moral stance,” describing the encounter as a meeting point between civic and moral leadership.
The mayor pointed to how the meeting highlighted common ground between Chicago’s policy priorities and the pope’s focus on social justice, especially regarding slavery’s legacy and migrant treatment.
Johnson noted that the pontiff’s acknowledgment of the Catholic Church’s involvement in slavery supported his administration’s reparations efforts, including funding for a task force studying the ongoing effects on Black Americans.
“The fact that the pope made a very clear declaration apologizing for the church’s role in slavery … is an affirmation to the work that we’re doing,” he stated.
Johnson emphasized that the visit represents an attempt to place Chicago within a larger international human rights movement, with the pope’s worldwide influence supporting the city’s justice, migration, and reparative policy goals — potentially spreading that message far beyond American borders.
Immigration issues were also a major discussion topic. Johnson reported that Pope Leo inquired directly about Chicago’s situation amid widespread U.S. immigration enforcement and deportation efforts.
“He wanted to know the conditions on the ground in Chicago … how we were responding,” Johnson explained, noting the pontiff understood “the mass effort to deport immigrants from the city of Chicago and really around the country.”
Johnson described explaining the city’s response to migrants experiencing fear and uncertainty, including quick-response programs ensuring families could access education and essential services. He also mentioned executive measures designed to protect migrants, noting that other cities have adopted Chicago’s approach.
The mayor characterized the meeting as launching broader collaboration between city leadership and the Vatican. “We talked about how his pulpit and my pen can come together to protect all of humanity,” he said, referring to both descendants of enslaved individuals and immigrant populations.
Johnson also stressed their shared Chicago connection, saying the city’s activist tradition makes it “uniquely positioned for this moment.” On Thursday, he commemorated the visit by giving Leo a key to the city and extending an invitation to celebrate Mass in Chicago’s Grant Park.
This marks at least the second official invitation Leo has received to visit the United States. U.S. Vice President JD Vance extended an invitation to Leo shortly after he became pope last May.
