Pope: Fear of migration ‘makes us crazy’

Pope Francis on Wednesday said that fear of migration “makes us crazy” as he departed for Central America, where migrants have fled countries like Honduras and Guatemala in caravans and drawn the ire of President Trump.

The Associated Press reported that as he left the Vatican for Panama, Francis was asked about Trump’s proposed wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. He said, “It is the fear that makes us crazy.”

The AP reported that Francis, who is from Argentina, was en route to Panama to speak at World Youth Day, an event held every three years aimed at boosting enthusiasm among the next generation of Catholics. 

{mosads}Trump has long pledged to build a wall along the southern border. His latest demand for more than $5 billion to build the structure triggered a partial government shutdown that has lasted 33 days and counting. Democrats have offered just $1.3 billion in border security funding.

The Senate is set to vote Thursday on the president’s proposal to reopen the government, which includes $5.7 billion for wall construction, as well as temporary protection for certain immigrant groups. The Senate will also vote on a separate measure that would fund the government into February.

Neither measure is expected to receive the 60 votes needed to pass the upper chamber, raising the prospect that the shutdown stretches into February.

The Democratic-held House has already passed bills to fund the government.

Trump on Wednesday morning issued a new rallying cry to gin up support for building a wall along the southern border, tweeting “BUILD A WALL & CRIME WILL FALL!”

Francis in 2017 appeared to swipe at the wall proposal, calling on people to build bridges instead.

Trump has previously cited the Vatican to dismiss arguments from Democrats that a border wall is immoral or runs counter to American values.