Pope Leo concluded his week-long visit to Spain by asserting that "all of us are migrants" and advocating for increased efforts to welcome and integrate refugees. Speaking from Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands and a significant migration hotspot, the pontiff delivered some of his most direct statements on the issue of migration.
Addressing hundreds of migrants at a reception centre, Pope Leo likened the human journey to a pilgrimage, stating, "In a sense, all of us are migrants, for we are all pilgrims on our way to our heavenly homeland. Let us help make this journey more humane for everyone by contributing in whatever way we can." His comments came as new, harder-line EU migration measures were set to take effect, reforms that have faced considerable criticism from human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch.
The Pope also issued a stark warning to those who exploit vulnerable people, including people smugglers and traffickers. He condemned those who "organise death routes, traffic in people, withhold documents, exploit workers, threaten women, deceive families, and turn the suffering of others into a business." He urged them to "Stop! Repent!" adding that they would face "divine justice" for their actions.
During his visit, the US-born pontiff consistently highlighted the moral imperative to assist migrants, particularly in the context of the perilous Atlantic route to the Canary Islands, which claimed an estimated 1,906 lives last year. He stressed that a "human conscience, and even more so a Christian conscience, cannot remain indifferent in the face of these graveyards of the sea."
The Pope’s message challenges the rhetoric often employed by some politicians, particularly from conservative and far-right parties, who advocate for stringent migration policies despite often professing Christian values. He called on leaders to ensure migrants do not face a "silent shipwreck" upon arrival, where they are left without support, security, or opportunities, making them susceptible to exploitation.