Overview
- The Pope visited the port of Arguineguín on Thursday, June 11, met survivors and rescuers and cast a wreath into the sea to commemorate migrants who have died on the Atlantic route.
- Speaking from Arguineguín the Pope said "human dignity has no passport" and demanded legal and safe routes, rescue and assistance, protection for trafficking victims and cooperation to halt criminal smuggling networks.
- On Friday in Tenerife he balanced appeals for protection with calls for newcomers to learn the language, respect local laws and take part in community life as part of integration.
- His interventions came as the EU's new Pact on Migration and Asylum took effect, a policy change that introduces faster border procedures and redistribution tools while raising political debate in Spain over how to handle arrivals.
- Spanish government figures cited during the visit show Canary-route arrivals have fallen from about 46,843 in 2024 to 17,788 in 2025 and just over 3,180 so far in 2026, a statistic the Pope used to press for shared responsibility across origin, transit and destination countries.