Sri Lanka, Oct. 8 -- Pope Leo told U.S. bishops visiting him at the Vatican on Wednesday that they should firmly address how immigrants are being treated by President Donald Trump's hardline policies, attendees said, in the latest push by the pontiff on the issue.

Leo, the first U.S. pope, was handed dozens of letters from immigrants describing their fears of deportation under the Trump administration's policies during the meeting, which included bishops and social workers from the U.S.-Mexico border.

"Our Holy Father . is very personally concerned about these matters," El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz, who took part in the meeting, told Reuters. "He expressed his desire that the U.S. Bishops' Conference would speak strongly on this issue."

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