Pope Leo XIV appoints US bishops, including former undocumented immigrant and DEI critic

Pope Leo XIV has named Evelio Menjivar‑Ayala, a former undocumented immigrant from El Salvador who entered the United States hidden in a car trunk, as the new bishop of West Virginia. Menjivar‑Ayala, who has served as an auxiliary bishop in Washington, D.C. since 2023, has long advocated for immigrant rights, condemning U.S. immigration enforcement and urging Catholics to support their neighbors.

In a separate appointment, Father Robert Boxie III has been made an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Washington. Boxie, known for outspoken criticism of former President Donald Trump’s anti‑DEI stance, has framed diversity as a core American and Catholic value and has challenged policies he views as hostile to inclusion.