Pope Leo XIV Advocates for Migrant Rights at Former ‘Dock of Shame’

Pope Leo XIV visited Arguineguín in Spain’s Canary Islands, a site previously central to the European migration debate. He called on nations to protect migrants’ rights and criticized leaders who turn them away with indifference. At the port, dubbed the “dock of shame” in 2020 for its poor living conditions during a surge in arrivals, Leo urged recognition of migrant dignity.

His visit to the Canary Islands, part of a broader trip in Spain, fulfills Pope Francis’s wish to honor those lost at sea. Standing by rescue ships, with a cross made from a shipwrecked boat beside him, Leo emphasized his message: “Human dignity has no passport and does not lose its value when crossing a border.”

Two migrants stood with Leo as he threw flowers into the sea, echoing Pope Francis’s 2013 act in Lampedusa, Sicily, when he condemned global indifference to migrants. The Canary Islands have long been a migration route from West Africa and Morocco, deemed more perilous than the central Mediterranean path.

Migrant arrivals to the Canary Islands spiked in 2024, reaching nearly 47,000. Following measures between the EU, Spain, and West African nations, arrivals dropped significantly, with just over 3,000 recorded in early 2026. Leo visited Arguineguín’s port, where in 2020, many migrants endured harsh conditions, leading to an ombudsman intervention to relocate them from makeshift camps to hotels.

Under the intense sun, Leo listened to stories from aid workers and a Nigerian trafficking victim at the port, now renamed “Dock of Hope.” He told migrants, “I bow before your dignity.” To victims of trafficking, he affirmed, “If others have put a price on your body, God has never ceased to recognize your inestimable worth.”

Leo called for originating countries to ensure safety and economic stability so people needn’t flee, and for transit nations to shield migrants from harm. He challenged Europe to reconcile its commitment to human dignity with the reality of maritime fatalities.

In a potent speech about migration, Leo emphasized migrants’ rights to move or stay, omitting earlier discussions on border control. Significantly, he said ignoring migrants’ plights contradicts Christian teachings. He posed a pressing question: “What remains of our humanity?”

Among the crowd, Mame Amandou Neang, a Senegalese migrant, expressed hope that Leo’s presence might ease their difficulties. Since 2020, Walking Borders estimates that over 25,000 migrants have died or gone missing en route to the Canary Islands. Leo continues Pope Francis’s focus on migrants, aligning it with the Gospel’s call to welcome strangers. In July, Leo plans to visit Lampedusa, highlighting this ongoing humanitarian priority.

Associated Press received support for this coverage through a collaboration with The Conversation US, funded by Lilly Endowment Inc.