In his first major statement released on Thursday, Pope Leo made an urgent appeal for global support for immigrants, invoking one of the late Pope Francis’ strongest criticisms of US President Donald Trump’s anti-immigration policies.

Leo’s document, known as an apostolic exhortation, is focused on the needs of the world’s poor. It calls for widespread changes to the global market system to address rising inequality and to help people living paycheck-to-paycheck.

The 104-page text started as a writing project by Francis, who was unable to complete it before his death in April after 12 years leading the global Church of 1.4 billion people. It was finished by Leo, the first US pope.

“I am happy to make this document my own – adding some reflections – and to issue it at the beginning o

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