Pope Leo Names Outspoken Immigration Critic as West Virginia Bishop

Pope Leo XIV announced the appointment of the Most Reverend Evelio Menjivar-Ayala as the new bishop of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston in West Virginia, a state with one of the least diverse populations in the country. Menjivar-Ayala, 55, is an El Salvador-born priest who fled civil war and entered the United States illegally in 1990 before gaining humanitarian protection and eventually U.S. citizenship.

What makes this appointment stand out is Menjivar-Ayala's vocal opposition to the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement. In a 2025 article for the Catholic Standard, Menjivar-Ayala described the federal government's immigration raids as a "shock and awe" campaign marked by "aggressive threats and highly visible operations of questionable legality." His words directly challenge the Trump administration's mass deportation policies, which have been widely condemned by human rights advocates and religious leaders alike.

Menjivar-Ayala’s new role places him in a predominantly white, rural state where only 2.4% of residents are Latino, a stark contrast to the Washington, D.C. archdiocese where over 40% of parishioners are Latino. Despite this, Menjivar-Ayala emphasized his commitment to listening to the poor and marginalized, quoting Matthew 25 to stress that how society treats its least fortunate reflects its moral compass.

His appointment comes amid ongoing tensions between the Catholic Church and the Trump administration, including recent public disagreements between Pope Leo and Trump over U.S. foreign policy. The new bishop’s background as a refugee and immigrant advocate positions him as a strong voice for humane treatment of migrants and a counterpoint to the administration's hardline stance.

Menjivar-Ayala replaces Bishop Mark Brennan, who took over following a scandal involving his predecessor’s sexual harassment and financial misconduct. The new bishop’s focus on justice and outreach to immigrants and workers signals a shift toward healing and inclusion in a diocese grappling with both demographic challenges and past leadership controversies.

This appointment is one more sign that the Catholic Church, under Pope Leo XIV, is willing to elevate leaders who actively oppose authoritarian policies and stand with vulnerable communities. For an administration that weaponized immigration enforcement to sow fear and division, Menjivar-Ayala’s leadership in West Virginia is a direct challenge to Trump's legacy of cruelty.

The diocese will officially install Menjivar-Ayala on July 2. Meanwhile, the White House has yet to comment on the appointment.