Pope Leo praised the United States' history of welcoming immigrants in his first major address to his home country on Friday, urging in ​a video appearance that Americans live up to the ideals put forward ⁠in the Declaration of Independence.

The first U.S. ​Pope, who has criticized President Donald Trump's hardline ⁠anti-immigrant policies as "inhuman," said the word "America" had become a "byword for freedom" across the world because of the ‌way the country welcomed immigrants.

In a ​speech given ‌live from the Vatican to the National Constitution Center ‌in Philadelphia as he received the Center's Liberty Medal, Leo said he hoped that ideals ⁠of "unity, justice and peace" ‌held by ⁠the Founding Fathers would guide the U.S. as it ⁠celebrated ⁠its 250th anniversary.

"This historic anniversary presents us with the ‌opportunity to reflect once again on the nation's founding principles in the hope that America will ‌remain ​ever true to ‌the dream that has earned it the title of land of the ​free and home of the brave," said the Pope.