Pope Leo XIV Urges Europe to Strengthen Protection for Migrants

Pope Leo XIV Urges Europe to Strengthen Protection for Migrants
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Pope Leo XIV has called on European countries to strengthen efforts to protect migrants and adopt a comprehensive humanitarian approach to migration during his visit to the Italian island of Lampedusa.

Lampedusa is one of the main arrival points for migrants crossing the Mediterranean and has become a symbol of the suffering endured by victims of irregular migration journeys.

The visit came as the European Union tightens its migration policies, weeks after approving new measures that include expanding the use of detention centers and establishing reception centers outside EU territory.

In his sermon, the Pope said Europe is capable of addressing the migration crisis through an integrated strategy that combines immediate humanitarian response with long-term planning. He called for migrants to be received, protected, and integrated into society, while also supporting development efforts in their countries of origin to reduce the causes of forced migration.

He stressed the importance of addressing the root causes of migration, criticizing indifference toward the public good, corruption in some countries of origin, global economic inequalities that lead to poverty and exclusion, rising rhetoric of fear and prejudice, and the exploitation of migrants by human trafficking networks.

Lampedusa, located south of Italy, has witnessed numerous migrant boat tragedies in recent years, making it one of the most prominent symbols of the humanitarian crisis linked to irregular migration toward Europe.