Pope Leo XIV condemns migrant traffickers and pro‑migration rhetoric in the Canary Islands

U.S.-born Pope Leo XIV used a week‑long visit to Spain’s Canary Islands to denounce pro‑migration groups, calling some “monsters,” and to warn people‑smugglers that they will face God’s wrath if they continue exploiting desperate migrants. In speeches on June 11 and the following day, he urged safe, legal pathways for migrants, highlighted the deadly Atlantic crossing that has killed thousands, and called for host societies to integrate newcomers while also addressing the root causes of migration.

The pope’s remarks came amid a technical failure that forced his charter flight to deplane on Tenerife, marking the first such incident for a papal flight in decades. He appealed directly to traffickers, saying “Stop. Repent,” and emphasized that every life lost at sea is a failure of the human family. Leo also critiqued the economic model that encourages large‑scale migration, urging development in migrants’ home countries so people can remain in their own lands with dignity.