Pope Leo XIV on Friday issued a strong warning to human traffickers and criminal networks exploiting migrants seeking entry into Europe, urging them to repent or face divine justice.
Speaking during a visit to Spain’s Canary Islands, a major gateway for migrants attempting dangerous journeys to Europe, the pontiff condemned those who profit from the suffering of vulnerable people fleeing conflict, persecution, and poverty.
“Stop. Repent,” the pope said while addressing humanitarian organisations and migrants on the final day of his week-long tour of Spain. “For every life lost, every family deceived, you will have to appear before divine justice.”
The pope said those involved in organising perilous migration routes should seek forgiveness while there is still time, invoking Catholic teachings on accountability before God.
The remarks came as Pope Leo concluded a two-day visit to the Canary Islands, where thousands of migrants arrive each year after crossing the Atlantic Ocean in overcrowded and often unsafe boats from Africa.
Addressing aid groups working with migrants, the pope said the “tears and blood” of those who suffered exploitation and abuse during migration journeys “cry out to God.”
The visit coincided with the full implementation of the European Union’s Migration Pact, which introduces stricter asylum and migration management rules across the bloc.
Immigrant Crossing Into Spain
According to official Spanish data, irregular arrivals to the Canary Islands surged from fewer than 1,000 migrants in 2015 to 46,843 in 2024. Human rights group Caminando Fronteras estimates that more than 3,000 people died in 2025 while attempting the crossing.
European law enforcement agency Europol has warned that migrant smuggling and human trafficking networks are increasingly adapting their operations by using online platforms to recruit and exploit victims.
Spanish authorities have intensified efforts against trafficking networks in recent years. Europol reported that police dismantled a Nigerian trafficking ring operating in Spain this year, alongside another network accused of exploiting vulnerable Ukrainian women.
During his visit to a migrant reception centre in Tenerife, Pope Leo met migrants and listened to personal testimonies. One migrant, Bousso Diouf, told the pontiff that migrants were not seeking special treatment but wanted “respect, humanity and the opportunity to live with dignity.”
The pope’s trip to Spain also included stops in Madrid and Barcelona. In Madrid, he became the first pope to address the Spanish parliament, warning that escalating global conflicts were pushing the world toward a deeper crisis. He also inaugurated a newly completed spire at the famous Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.
Spain has generally maintained a more welcoming approach to migration than many other European countries and recently launched a programme aimed at granting residency permits to more than half a million undocumented migrants. However, the initiative has faced criticism from far-right political groups and concerns over delays in processing applications.
Pope Leo was scheduled to return to Rome later on Friday, bringing to a close a tour that placed migration, human dignity and humanitarian responsibility at the centre of his message.
