Pope Leo Spotlights Migrant Struggles During Canary Islands Visit
WHO:
Fox News - Pope Leo XIV blessed migrants at Spain's Gran Canaria Island.
Fox News - A boat captain, Tito Villarmea, reported he has personally helped save over 20,000 migrants in the last 18 years.
BBC News - Pope Leo XIV is visiting the Canary Islands.
ABC News - Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of Spain is involved in the immigration debate.
ABC News - Pope Francis had previously planned to visit the Canary Islands.
WHAT:
Fox News - Pope Leo will meet with 1,000 migrants during his visit.
Fox News - Over 3,000 people died trying to make the journey to Gran Canaria in 2025, according to the NGO Caminando Fronteras.
Fox News - Spain's socialist government approved a plan in April to grant legal status to 500,000 undocumented migrants.
BBC News - The Pope will appeal for a humane approach and respectful welcome for migrants.
ABC News - Pope Leo XIV is drawing attention to the plight of migrants who risk their lives trying to reach Europe.
ABC News - Leo is commemorating the thousands of lives lost at sea from a port known as the “dock of shame.”
ABC News - Migrant arrivals in the Canary Islands peaked in 2024 at nearly 47,000 but fell to just over 2,000 in the first four months of 2026.
ABC News - Leo received a 7-minute standing ovation after his speech to the Spanish Parliament.
WHERE:
Fox News - Pope Leo observed a moment of silence at the Port of Arguineguin in Gran Canaria.
BBC News - The visit is taking place in the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago.
ABC News - The “dock of shame” is located in Arguineguin, Canary Islands.
ABC News - The Pope will also visit the island of Lampedusa, Sicily.
WHEN:
ABC News - Pope Leo XIV is visiting the Canary Islands on Thursday.
ABC News - Next month, on July 4, the Pope will spend U.S. Independence Day on the island of Lampedusa.
WHY:
Fox News - Pope Leo described migration as a "tragic drama" and emphasized that discrimination based on various origins is a violation of the "universal principle of the equal dignity of all human beings."
ABC News - The visit fulfills a wish of Pope Francis to address the European migration debate.
ABC News - Spain’s government is defending immigration on economic and humanitarian grounds due to an aging workforce and low birth rate.
ABC News - Leo has called for strengthened international efforts to prevent human smuggling and the creation of safe pathways for migrants.
HOW:
Fox News - Pope Leo made a floral offering to migrants lost at sea at the dock of the Port of Arguineguin.
ABC News - Leo is meeting with recently arrived migrants and representatives of church and humanitarian organizations.
(UPDATED June 11, 2026 18:06 UTC)
Pope Leo XIV blessed migrants during his visit to Spain's Gran Canaria Island, where he observed a moment of silence at the Port of Arguineguin and made a floral offering to those lost at sea. He will meet with 1,000 migrants and described the ongoing migration crisis as a "tragic drama," highlighting the need for dignity and respect for all individuals regardless of their origins. Additionally, boat captain Tito Villarmea reported that he has personally helped save over 20,000 migrants over the past 18 years, while Spain's socialist government recently approved a plan to grant legal status to 500,000 undocumented migrants.
--
(UPDATED June 11, 2026 12:24 UTC)
Pope Leo XIV is currently visiting the Canary Islands, where he is drawing attention to the plight of migrants who risk their lives trying to reach Europe. During his visit, he will appeal for a humane approach and respectful welcome for migrants, commemorating the thousands of lives lost at sea from a port known as the “dock of shame.” Next month, on July 4, the Pope will spend U.S. Independence Day on the island of Lampedusa, fulfilling a wish of Pope Francis to address the European migration debate.