America's Catholic Bishops have elected a new leader, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, the Archbishop of Galveston-Houston in Texas, a week after the presidential election of Donald Trump.

Cardinal DiNardo was elected today as president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Among his duties will be guiding the bishops' relationship with Trump, though the president of the conference does not determine national policy.

According to polls, a majority of Catholics voted for Trump by a margin of 52-45 per cent.

DiNardo will succeed Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, who is completing his three-year term.

Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez was elected vice president of the conference, the first Latino to hold the post.

DiNardo, who was made a cardinal in 2007 by Pope Benedict XVI, is not seen as a liberal but he once said: "There is a certain sense of the church in Texas...It is more laid-back, informal, which I think is good."

Earlier, the bishops released a statement calling on Trump to be welcoming towards refugees and migrants entering the US.

In the statement posted to the US Conference of Catholic Bishops' website, they said: "We believe the family unit is the cornerstone of society, so it is vital to protect the integrity of the family. For this reason, we are reminded that behind every 'statistic' is a person who is a mother, father, son, daughter, sister or brother and has dignity as a child of God.

"We pray that as the new administration begins its role leading our country, it will recognize the contributions of refugees and immigrants to the overall prosperity and well-being of our nation. We will work to promote humane policies that protect refugee and immigrants' inherent dignity, keep families together, and honor and respect the laws of this nation.

"Serving and welcoming people fleeing violence and conflict in various regions of the world," the statement continued, "is part of our identity as Catholics. The Church will continue this life-saving tradition.

"Today, with more than 65 million people forcibly displaced from their homes, the need to welcome refugees and provide freedom from persecution is more acute than ever and 80 of our dioceses across the country are eager to continue this wonderful act of accompaniment born of our Christian faith."