Pope Leo XIV visited a pivotal location in the European migration crisis, emphasizing the need to respect migrants’ rights and criticizing leaders indifferent to their plight. Speaking from Arguineguín port in the Canary Islands, he urged the recognition of human dignity irrespective of borders.
In 2020, Arguineguín’s port was labeled the ‘dock of shame’ due to the poor conditions migrants endured during a surge in arrivals. With rescue ships in the background and a cross composed of a shipwrecked migrant boat nearby, Leo declared, “Human dignity has no passport and does not lose its value when crossing a border.” His visit to the Canary Islands commemorates countless lost lives at sea, fulfilling a wish of Pope Francis.
A poignant moment occurred when Leo, flanked by migrants, threw a bouquet of flowers into the sea. This gesture mirrored one by Francis in 2013 in Lampedusa, Sicily, where he condemned global indifference to migrants. Pope Leo’s visit highlighted the dangerous Atlantic route that many migrants from West Africa and Morocco take to reach Europe, often deemed more perilous than the Mediterranean path.
The Canary Islands saw migrant arrivals peak in 2024, with nearly 47,000 individuals. Cooperative efforts between the EU, Spain, and West African governments significantly reduced these figures, dropping to just over 3,000 in early 2026. Upon arrival, Leo immediately visited Arguineguín’s port, reflecting on its distressing past when arrivals were forced to sleep in dire conditions, often without basic amenities.
Under a shaded platform, listening to stories from aid workers and a Nigerian human trafficking survivor, Leo expressed deep respect for migrants’ dignity. He addressed the gathered migrants, stating, “Dear migrants, before saying anything else to you, I want to bow before your dignity.” He urged countries of origin to improve economic and security conditions and transit countries to protect migrants from smugglers.
He challenged European conscience to uphold human dignity, pointing out Europe’s failure if the Mediterranean and Atlantic seas turned into unmarked graves. Without acknowledging nations’ rights to border control, he focused solely on migrants’ rights and emphasized that Christians should not ignore migrants’ suffering. Leo stated, “May history not accuse us of turning the pain of those who suffer into a common sight along our shores.”
Among the migrants was Mame Amandou Neang, who expressed hope that the Pope’s visit would bring relief to their burdens. Since 2014, the International Organization for Migration’s Missing Migrants Project has logged approximately 6,600 deaths on the Atlantic route, but admits this number is underestimated due to ‘invisible shipwrecks.’ Reflecting on more recent data, Spanish group Walking Borders estimates over 25,000 migrants have died or disappeared trying to reach the Canary Islands since 2020.
Following Francis’s advocacy, Leo continues to spotlight refugee challenges, particularly in the United States amid strict immigration policies. He plans to spend July 4 in Lampedusa, further highlighting the global indifference migrants face.