Pope visiting 'dock of shame' in Canary Islands where migrants slept in squalor
Summary
Pope Leo XIV is visiting the Canary Islands to highlight the challenges faced by migrants trying to reach Europe. He is meeting migrants and aid groups, and remembering those who suffered at a port known as the "dock of shame," where migrants lived in very poor conditions in 2020.Key Facts
- The Canary Islands are a main entry point for migrants coming from West Africa to Europe.
- In 2020, a surge of arrivals led migrants to live in bad conditions on a dock called the "dock of shame."
- Spain’s government supports immigration for economic and humanitarian reasons and is working to legalize many unauthorized immigrants.
- Pope Leo XIV spoke to the Spanish Parliament and called for welcoming and integrating migrants, emphasizing human dignity.
- Migrant arrivals in the Canary Islands dropped from nearly 47,000 in 2024 to around 2,000 in the first four months of 2026.
- The pope plans to visit Arguineguin, the location of the 2020 migrant crisis camp.
- Pope Francis had wanted to visit the Canary Islands but could not; Pope Leo XIV is continuing the focus on migrants.
- The pope also stresses the dignity of migrants in the United States amid immigration enforcement policies.
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