BARCELONA: Pope Leo XIV is addressing the volatile issue of migration with planned visits to two critical European transit points: Spain’s Canary Islands in the Atlantic next week, and Italy’s Lampedusa island in the Mediterranean in early July. These remote outposts have struggled to manage the arrival of tens of thousands of migrants, primarily from Africa, navigating some of the world’s most perilous maritime routes. Despite a decrease in arrivals this year, particularly in the Canaries, the crisis continues to fuel political instability in these traditionally Catholic nations.
Many within the Church and migrant communities hope the papal visits will shift the narrative toward solidarity and humanitarian support, moving away from the polarizing political debates that have fractured the right and deepened the divide between opposing political factions. “The migrants are stuck in the middle,” noted the Most Rev. José Mazuelos, bishop of Canarias. “The church’s goal is to give these individuals a face, reminding the world that we are talking about people, not mere statistics.”
Among those seeking a shift in perception is 27-year-old Eslim Jallow. After leaving Gambia with his younger brother in 2023, Jallow faced initial hardships but eventually mastered Spanish and now works as a programmer and web developer in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. “Perhaps the pope will change how people here view immigrants,” Jallow said. “Immigrants should be treated with dignity and respect, rather than being ignored.” Though not Catholic, Jallow believes Pope Leo “speaks for us, reminding the world that we are human beings.”
The global advocacy for migrants was a cornerstone of Pope Francis’s papacy, beginning with his 2013 visit to Lampedusa and his 2016 trip to Lesbos, where he returned to Rome with a group of Syrian Muslim refugees. Under Pope Leo, the Church has maintained this commitment to humane treatment, including the condemnation of mass deportations in the Pope’s native United States.
“By scheduling these two trips early in his papacy, Pope Leo is signaling that immigration is a top priority,” explained Michele Pistone, a professor at Villanova University and director of its center on immigration.
On June 11, Pope Leo is expected to visit the port of Arguineguín on Gran Canaria to honor the thousands of migrants who perished or disappeared during their journeys. The following day, he will visit a migrant camp on Tenerife. The archipelago has been the center of a humanitarian crisis; in 2024, nearly 47,000 migrants from North and West Africa arrived, including several thousand unaccompanied minors.
The Most Rev. Eloy Santiago, bishop of Tenerife, noted that some locations have been overwhelmed; on El Hierro, arrivals reached nearly triple the island’s resident population. This has strained local resources to a breaking point. “When a boat arrives, local doctors must prioritize emergency care, which means scheduled medical appointments for residents are often canceled,” Santiago said.
Catholic organizations provide critical aid the moment migrants land from overcrowded vessels. While arrivals have slowed due to tighter controls along African coastlines, a significant challenge remains: the plight of unaccompanied minors. Once these individuals turn 18 and leave state care, they are often left without housing, employment prospects, or a support system.
Caya Suárez, secretary-general for Caritas in the Canaries, described this transition as a moment of extreme vulnerability. “It is a devastating time; they have waited with hope, only to find they are still stuck without alternatives,” she said. Caritas works to secure housing and jobs for these young adults and has coordinated with parishes to relocate some to Madrid, Galicia, and other mainland regions, despite reluctance from some regional governments.
Many Canary Islanders feel abandoned, tasked with managing an immense humanitarian challenge with limited resources. The perception that national and European institutions view the crisis as a local “island problem” has created a sense of malaise, even among residents historically open to migration. “The pope’s message can help people find the strength to persist, knowing they are supported,” said Bishop Santiago.
On a national scale, the Spanish Catholic Church has supported a government measure granting temporary residency permits to over half a million undocumented foreigners, many from Latin America. The socialist government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and the Church argue that these individuals provide essential labor in agriculture, hospitality, and eldercare.
This stance has placed the Church in direct conflict with the far-right. Pablo Simón, a political science professor at University Carlos III in Madrid, noted that the church’s position “collides head-on” with the right. This has led to criticism from parties like Vox, which often uses religious rhetoric to justify anti-migrant positions. Similarly, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the conservative regional leader of Madrid, characterized the legalization efforts as “importing mass poverty.”
The Rev. Fernando Redondo, head of the migration department for the Spanish bishops’ conference, emphasized that the Church’s position follows the Christian mandate to welcome the stranger. However, he acknowledged the need for better outreach to faithful who fear migrants compete for jobs or welfare. “Our challenge is raising awareness that, from a perspective of faith, welcoming a migrant is welcoming Christ himself,” Redondo said. “Of course, there must be proper social and political frameworks so that migration is managed orderly.”
In the Canary Islands, the crisis is managed by ordinary citizens—fishermen providing water to those on rafts and volunteers greeting arrivals in multiple languages. There are also success stories; in one shrinking mountain village, the opening of a center for migrant children revitalized the local school, created jobs, and integrated newcomers into the village’s annual feast day procession.
Consequently, many hope Pope Leo will offer a message of reconciliation that focuses on the human element rather than the political conflict. “The pope isn’t advocating for an open-door policy for the entire world,” Bishop Mazuelos clarified. “But when a man arrives in a wooden boat after five days in the Atlantic, we cannot simply kick him back. We must find a way to welcome him.”