Hispanics hope Pope Francis addresses immigration with Obama

'Give these people a chance to be legal'

Nearly 30 million Hispanic Catholics in the country are hoping that Pope Francis' visit this month will change the tone of the United States' debatable immigration policies and discourse.

MUNTINLUPA, PHILIPPINES (Catholic Online) - The Pope will have high-profile meetings with Latinos and immigrants in each of the three U.S. cities he is visiting, Washington, New York and Philadelphia. Catholic leaders hope the meetings will encourage elected officials to fix the system that has left 11 million undocumented people in the U.S. living in uncertainty.

According to Pope Francis, immigrants are victims of an unequal world and the need to lend them a helping hand is a "humanitarian emergency."

Jeb Bush recently said that Donald Trump's plans for evicting millions of undocumented people and building a giant border are "not based in reality." Last year, Bush said that illegal immigrants in the U.S. are only performing an "act of love," hoping to provide for their families.

In response, Trump released a video that showed mug shots of three illegal immigrants who were charged with murder and mocked Bush's statement, saying, "Love? Forget love. It's time to get tough!"

Many people see Pope Francis as a moral leader who uses his influence to focus on human principles that he believes transcends politics.

According to Mario Dorsonville, an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington who celebrates Spanish-language sunrise Masses, Pope Francis is "energizing the Latino community."

Latinos say their enthusiasm for Francis is caused by many things, including his support of gay or divorced Catholics and his preference for a non-extravagant lifestyle.

"I trust in him - he understands the problems of Latinos," said parishioner Mariana Garcia, 57, who emigrated from El Salvador and cleans houses for a living. "I hope he sends a message to the people with power to please help, to give these people a chance to be legal."

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