Pope: Migrants must 'respect laws' of host countries

Pope Leo XIV told migrants they must respect the laws and customs of the countries that take them in, describing integration as a reciprocal journey that requires learning the language and abiding by local rules. Speaking in Tenerife during a meeting with migrant organizations, he urged an end to deadly smuggling routes and warned of a ‘silent shipwreck’ facing migrants who arrive in Europe. The pope stressed that God’s love has no borders and that migrants deserve humane treatment. His Tenerife visit included an address at a migrant reception center and an open-air Mass in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, attended by tens of thousands, before departing on the king’s private jet due to a technical problem with his papal aircraft. Arrivals in the Canary Islands peaked at nearly 47,000 in 2024, but have fallen since EU-Spain-West Africa agreements; around 3,000 arrivals were recorded in the first five months of 2026.