Pope Leo XIV urges legal migration routes during Canary Islands visit

During a week‑long trip to Spain, Pope Leo XIV visited the Canary Islands and called on governments worldwide to create "legal and safe pathways" for African migrants attempting the hazardous sea crossing. He visited a migrant centre that shelters around 700 people, mostly from West Africa, and listened to testimonies, including a survivor who described trafficking, debt bondage and sexual abuse.

The pontiff condemned criminal mafias that profit from the desperation of migrants and urged the implementation of effective protection, reception, integration and anti‑trafficking measures. He cited recent fatality figures, noting that more than 3,000 migrants died trying to reach the Canaries in 2025 and over 10,000 drowned along the route in 2024.

Pope Leo emphasized that human dignity has no passport and urged political leaders to act on the humanitarian crisis affecting the Atlantic migration corridor.