Conservative Bishop Now Goes to War with Trump on Immigration

In a closely watched vote that wrapped up after three intense rounds of balloting, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has elected Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City as its new president.

The 70-year-old prelate, long seen as a steady conservative hand within the Church, edged out Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville, Texas, in a runoff with 128 votes to 109.

Flores, a prominent voice on border issues, was then swiftly chosen as vice president on the first ballot, setting up a leadership duo that’s poised to tackle some of the thorniest moral and political debates facing American Catholics right now.

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This isn’t just another internal Church shuffle.

Coakley’s three-year term kicks off at a time when President Donald Trump’s second administration is ramping up mass deportations, environmental rollbacks are back in the headlines, and debates over life issues like abortion and the death penalty remain front and center.

With millions of Catholic immigrants potentially in the crosshairs and the Church’s teachings on human dignity clashing with hardline policies, Coakley’s past statements are already drawing scrutiny – and offering clues about what’s ahead.

Who Is Archbishop Paul Coakley?

Born in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1955, Coakley grew up in a military family that bounced around before settling in Kansas.

He entered seminary for the Diocese of Wichita in 1978, was ordained a priest in 1983, and climbed the ranks steadily.

Pope Benedict XVI named him archbishop of Oklahoma City in 2010, where he’s led for nearly 15 years.

Before today’s election, he served as USCCB secretary since 2022 – a role that made him chairman of the Committee on Priorities and Plans and, frankly, the frontrunner for the top job.

He’s no stranger to tough stands. Coakley has ties to the Napa Institute, a conservative Catholic group, and has been vocal in defending traditional teachings on life and family.

In 2022, he praised Oklahoma lawmakers “for supporting pro-life measures” after the state passed one of the nation’s strictest abortion bans.

Under his predecessor, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio – whom Coakley now succeeds – the USCCB kept abortion as its “preeminent priority” in elections, a stance Coakley is expected to carry forward without missing a beat.

But Coakley isn’t a one-note leader. He’s opposed gender ideology, fought for religious freedom, and even criticized his own state’s enthusiasm for the death penalty.

More on that later – because it’s his nuanced take on immigration that’s suddenly making waves.

The Immigration Flashpoint: Coakley’s Warnings on Mass Deportations

Let’s cut to the chase: Trump’s promises of widespread deportations are already underway, and Coakley has been outspoken – even if he’s framed as a “conservative” in Church circles.

Back in February, as fears mounted over ICE raids and family separations, Coakley issued a blunt statement: mass deportations were “creating fear and even distress for our immigrant, migrant and refugee neighbors who have arrived in search of the same dreams that awaited many of our ancestors at a different moment in time.”

He didn’t stop there.

While acknowledging that “illegal immigration is wrong” and nations have a right to secure borders, Coakley pushed back hard on painting all undocumented people as threats: “we must also reflect that the majority of undocumented immigrants in Oklahoma are upstanding members of our communities and churches, not violent criminals.”

This echoes broader USCCB calls from November 2024 for “fair and generous pathways to full citizenship” for long-term immigrants, permanent relief for Dreamers, family unity, and welcoming refugees.

With Vice President-elect Daniel Flores – Flores is a border bishop himself – at his side, expect the conference to keep pressing the administration on humane reforms, even as they navigate relationships with Catholic figures like Vice President JD Vance, a convert who’s backed tough enforcement.

Coakley has already signaled openness to dialogue, telling reporters he’d like to “build a relationship” with Vance.

But don’t expect silence if policies cross Church lines on dignity and welcome.

Beyond Borders: Environment, Death Penalty, and Church Unity

Coakley’s record shows he’s not afraid to buck trends when Catholic teaching demands it.

On the environment, he applauded the Biden-era restoration of rules requiring federal projects to assess ecological impacts – rules that Trump’s first term had gutted. In 2022, he called them “a vital guardrail against ecological and social harm,” per The Dialog.

And on capital punishment? Despite Trump’s recent calls to expand it – even for D.C. murders as a “preventative” – Coakley has been unwavering.

“The use of the death penalty only contributes to the continued coarsening of society and to the spiral of violence,” he said in 2022.

He’s also worried about polarization inside the Church itself, urging “civil conversation … to seek what is good and make the priority how to achieve it and how to avoid what is evil.”

What Did Coakley Say Right After Winning?

Moments after the vote, Coakley took to X with a humble, faith-filled post that quickly went viral among Catholic circles:

“Once again, the Lord is inviting me to put out into deep waters in calling me to accept this service and burden of leadership today.

I accept it in faith and with great hope. I ask for the prayers of all of the clergy, religious women and men and the faithful of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.

I have great confidence in the staff of both the USCCB and our own archdiocese. They will help me shoulder these responsibilities.

Please pray that I may be a faithful steward and a wise servant of unity and communion with our Holy Father, Pope Leo, and with my brother bishops and priests.”

His motto? “Duc in Altum” – Latin for “Put out into the deep,” from Luke’s Gospel.

Fitting for a leader stepping into stormy waters.

What’s Next? A Church at a Crossroads

Coakley’s election signals continuity on core conservative priorities like protecting life from conception – but with a pastoral edge on issues like immigration that could put the USCCB at odds with the White House.

Tomorrow, bishops vote on a new secretary to fill Coakley’s old role, and committee chairs are up too.

As Trump pushes ahead, expect Coakley to steer the conference toward “steady leadership,” upholding doctrine while advocating for the vulnerable.

One thing’s clear: American Catholics – from pews in Oklahoma to border parishes in Texas – will be watching closely.

Will dialogue prevail, or will tensions boil over? Stay tuned; this story is just beginning.

Also Read: A DOJ Whistleblower Now Makes Revelation That Undermines the Judicial System’s Integrity

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