Pope Leo XIV’s Call for Migrant Dignity in Arguineguín

In Arguineguín, Spain, Pope Leo XIV spotlighted the need for respecting migrant rights. His visit aimed to challenge countries to uphold human dignity without succumbing to indifference against migrants.

Pope Leo addressed the community from Arguineguín, a port in the Canary Islands that gained infamy in 2020 as the ‘dock of shame’ due to poor conditions migrants faced during peak arrival times.

Human dignity has no passport and does not lose its value when crossing a border, Leo stated.

Beside him were rescue ships, and in front, a simple wooden cross made from a migrant boat wreck. This trip fulfills a promise to Pope Francis to honor lives lost at sea.

Before his speech, Pope Leo threw flowers into the sea, echoing a gesture made by Pope Francis in Lampedusa, Sicily in 2013. This symbolic act highlighted the ongoing global indifference toward migrants. Leo’s visit included a meeting with organizations aiding migrants.

Acknowledging the Canary Islands’ Role

The Canary Islands have served as a vital route for migrants seeking to enter Europe from West Africa and Morocco, with some regarding this path as more perilous than other Mediterranean routes. In 2024, arrivals peaked at 47,000 due to various geopolitical pressures, significant drops have been observed with heightened cooperation among the EU, Spain, and West African governments.

Upon arriving at the port, Pope Leo witnessed the location’s infamous conditions where migrants previously endured long waits in makeshift camps.

Upholding Migrant Dignity

On Thursday, at Arguineguín, Pope Leo addressed migrants and aid workers beneath a shaded platform. Under the midday sun, he heard accounts from humanitarian workers and a trafficked Nigerian woman. The once-dubbed ‘dock of shame’ displayed a banner now reading ‘Dock of Hope.’

Dear migrants, before anything else, I bow before your dignity, said Leo.

He reassured women subjected to trafficking, stating that despite others placing a price on them, their value remains immeasurable to God. Pope Leo urged origin countries to secure conditions preventing forced migration and for transit nations to safeguard migrants from smugglers.

Leo’s powerful speech focused on migration rights, notably omitting mentions about border control as in his previous addresses. He emphasized that Christians cannot overlook migrants’ struggles.

May history not accuse us of turning the pain of those who suffer into a common sight along our shores, he remarked.

Mame Amandou Neang, a migrant from Senegal, expressed gratitude, hoping the pope’s visit would alleviate their burdens.

While the International Organization of Migration records 6,600 Atlantic migrant deaths since 2014, estimates might be underreported due to ‘invisible shipwrecks.’

Following Pope Francis’ Path

Pope Leo follows in Pope Francis’ footsteps, highlighting migrant dignity. This has been particularly significant during U.S. deportations under the Trump administration. On July 4, Leo plans to visit Lampedusa, revisiting Pope Francis’ original denouncement of indifference.

This report includes input from journalists Winfield in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Brito from Barcelona.