Pope Leo Pays Tribute to the 'Dignity' of Migrants

Pope Leo XIV continued his week-long visit to Spain on Thursday (11/06) by visiting the Port of Arguineguin in the Canary Islands. The port has become a major centre of the migration crisis in the region in recent years. There, he greeted migrants and condemned the international community and world leaders, especially in Europe, for the way they treat migrants. The visit aligns with the overarching theme of his trip to Spain and fulfils an unfulfilled wish of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who also made the protection of migrants’ rights a key focus of his struggle.

The Pope cast a wreath into the sea to commemorate the thousands of people who have died attempting to cross into Europe. The act was similar to that performed by Pope Francis when he visited Lampedusa, Sicily, in 2013, another crisis point for migration. ‘Let not history record that we considered their suffering to be normal on our shores,’ he said. ‘Today, on this seashore, every person who comes asks us: what remains of our humanity?’ He urged governments in the migrants’ countries of origin to improve security and economic conditions, and called on transit countries to protect migrants from smugglers and human traffickers.

However, his sharpest criticism was directed at European politicians, who in recent years have tightened migration policies amid rising pressure from right-wing groups. The Pope called on Europe to listen to their ‘conscience’, arguing they cannot claim to uphold human dignity while being indifferent as the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean have turned into ‘cemeteries without headstones’. ‘Human dignity knows no passport, and does not lose its value just because it crosses a border,’ the Pope said.

He also spoke directly to the migrants gathered around him. At the site, there is a cross made from the wood of shipwrecked vessels. ‘Migrant brothers and sisters, before saying anything else to you, I want to bow down before your dignity,’ the Pope said. ‘You are not just numbers or administrative files. You are people who have left your families and homes. You have dreams that no one has the right to belittle.’

Located more than 1,000 kilometres from mainland Spain, the Canary Islands are geographically closer to Africa than to Europe. Consequently, the area has become a primary arrival point in recent years for migrants trying to enter Europe from Africa. The Port of Arguineguin was dubbed the ‘dock of shame’ in 2020 after thousands of migrants were forced to sleep in the open air or under emergency tents, living in deplorable conditions due to a surge in arrivals during the pandemic. In 2024, more than 46,000 people arrived in the archipelago, the highest figure ever recorded. However, following a series of agreements between the European Union, Spain, and several West African governments, the number of arrivals dropped drastically. During the first five months of 2026, just over 3,000 people were recorded arriving there. Data from the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) ‘Missing Migrants’ project indicates that around 6,600 people have died on the Atlantic route from West Africa since records began in 2014. The actual number is believed to be far higher due to a lack of information and the phenomenon of ‘invisible shipwrecks’. Spanish migrant rights group Walking Borders (Caminando Fronteras) estimates that more than 25,000 people have died or gone missing while trying to reach the Canary Islands since 2020. On Thursday (11/06), a sign was installed to change the name of the Port of Arguineguin from the ‘dock of shame’ to the ‘dock of hope’.