In a passionate and pointed Saturday conversation, Steve Bannon, a faithful Catholic, and John Yep, leader of Catholics for Catholic (CFORC.com), aimed the Catholic Church’s involvement in U.S. immigration policy, accusing religious institutions, particularly Catholic Charities, of enabling illegal immigration and undermining national sovereignty. Their discussion drew sharp criticism of the church and political elites while calling for significant reform within the church and national immigration policy.

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John Yep Exposes DC Cardinal Opposing Deportations For Covering Up Sexual Abuse @USAYep pic.twitter.com/DaijE3tSXj

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Bannon lambasted religious organizations, including Catholic Charities, for their role in facilitating the influx of illegal immigrants into the U.S. "The business interests and the government essentially invited these people here,” Bannon said, pointing to the role of Catholic Charities in resettling immigrants. He said the organization had strayed from its religious mission and, in his view, had become a key player in the "invasion” of the country.

"The Catholic Church’s business model is broken,” Bannon said. "They can’t fill the pews with traditional Catholics, so they’re filling them up with illegal aliens.” His comments echoed a broader critique of the church, which he accused of prioritizing political correctness and its own financial interests over the well-being of American citizens. Bannon added, "It’s not the fault of the immigrants themselves, but the church has been complicit in this process.”

Bannon also targeted Cardinal Robert McElroy, who has become a symbol of the church’s progressive stance on immigration. "McElroy is a creation of McCarrick,” Bannon stated, referring to the disgraced former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who was involved in the controversial Vatican-China deal and was later defrocked due to sexual abuse scandals. Bannon suggested that McElroy’s position as Bishop of Washington, D.C. was part of a broader, more insidious agenda to push for open borders. "McElroy’s in the pocket of the global elites, and now he’s using his position to push an open-borders agenda.”

Bannon’s comments were echoed by Yep. Yep lamented the Catholic Church’s shift from a religious institution to a government-aligned NGO, particularly in its dealings with immigration. "We’ve sold our birthright,” Yep said. "We’ve become a government NGO, and we can’t continue like this.” He argued that the church’s actions were contrary to its mission and were making it complicit in the destruction of U.S. sovereignty.

The conversation then shifted to the personal impact of these issues, with both Bannon and Yep expressing their disappointment in the church’s failure to protect its traditional values. "We, the Catholic people—58% of us voted for Trump—are not going to let you off the hook,” Bannon declared, referencing the significant number of Catholic voters who supported Trump’s America First policies.

At the heart of their conversation was a call for accountability and investigation. Bannon suggested that a full inquiry be launched into the role of religious organizations, particularly Catholic Charities, in facilitating the illegal immigration crisis. He framed this as a "fight for our country,” one that needed to be confronted head-on. "We have to break apart this system. We can’t go on like this,” Bannon stated. "We need a massive investigation into how the country was invaded and who benefited from it.”

The two also criticized the media’s portrayal of Trump’s immigration policies, accusing outlets like MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow of using moral arguments to undermine efforts to secure the border. "They’re going to take the moral high ground,” Bannon said, referencing the criticism of Trump’s deportation policies. "But when you look at the facts, it’s the religious groups that have been complicit in this invasion.”

Bannon and Yep concluded their conversation with a renewed call for action, stressing the need for the Catholic Church to return to its religious roots and to stop using its influence to push a political agenda. Yep suggested that Trump supporters, particularly Catholics, must continue to challenge the church’s progressive stance. "We’re going to stand with Trump,” he said. "And we’re going to fight for our faith and our country.”

As the conversation wrapped up, the urgency of their message was clear. With the future of immigration policy and the Catholic Church’s role in it at stake, Bannon and Yep made a bold call for both political and religious reform. Their words resonated with those disillusioned by the church’s political maneuvering and the ongoing debates about America’s immigration crisis.

Watch the full interview from Saturday here: