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Pope Warns Traffickers as EU Pact Spurs Spain Migrant Surge

6/13/2026

23 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Pope Warns Traffickers

Pope Leo XIV warned traffickers exploiting Canary Islands migrants to repent or face divine justice.
The EU Migration Pact took effect, raising arrivals to 46,843 in 2024 from 1,000 in 2015, while Caminando Fronteras estimated over 3,000 deaths in 2025.
Europol said police dismantled a Nigerian trafficking ring and a Ukrainian women network in Spain, while Spain launched a residency programme for over half a million migrants, drawing criticism.

Summary

Pope Returns

A technical fault forced Pope Leo XIV’s Iberia charter to land, prompting King Felipe VI to provide a private plane for his return to Rome.
During the visit, Pope Leo XIV tossed a bouquet into the sea at the Dock of Shame and performed the viral “6-7” hand sign, drawing cheers.
Migrant Bousso Diouf told the pope she wants only respect, humanity and dignity, highlighting personal pleas heard at Las Raíces.

History

Historical Context

In 2015 over one million migrants entered Europe, prompting the European Commission to propose a GDP-population quota and launch Operation Triton. The November 2015 Valletta Summit created an Emergency Trust Fund, while Germany accepted the largest share of asylum seekers. Those 2015 measures shape today’s intensified border controls and renewed calls from the Vatican and Spain for stricter migration policies.

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Pope Warns Traffickers

Pope Leo XIV warned traffickers exploiting Canary Islands migrants to repent or face divine justice.
The EU Migration Pact took effect, raising arrivals to 46,843 in 2024 from 1,000 in 2015, while Caminando Fronteras estimated over 3,000 deaths in 2025.
Europol said police dismantled a Nigerian trafficking ring and a Ukrainian women network in Spain, while Spain launched a residency programme for over half a million migrants, drawing criticism.

1 / 3