Pope Leo to Human Traffickers: Repent Now or Face Divine Judgment

Pope Leo XIV has delivered one of his strongest condemnations yet of human trafficking, warning criminal networks exploiting migrants seeking entry into Europe to repent or face divine judgment.

Speaking on Friday during a visit to the Canary Islands, a major gateway for migrants attempting the perilous journey to Europe, the pontiff directly addressed traffickers and smugglers whom he accused of profiting from human suffering.

“Stop. Repent,” Pope Leo declared. “For every life lost, every family deceived, you will have to appear before divine justice.”

The remarks came on the final day of his week-long apostolic tour of Spain, where migration, human dignity and global solidarity have featured prominently in his message.

Addressing humanitarian organisations and aid workers assisting migrants in the Canary Islands, the first American pope condemned those who organise dangerous migration routes and exploit vulnerable people fleeing conflict, poverty and persecution.

“The tears and blood of migrants cry out to God,” he said, insisting that those responsible for their suffering must be held accountable before both human and divine justice.

The Canary Islands, located off the northwest coast of Africa, have become one of Europe’s busiest migration routes. Thousands of migrants attempt the crossing each year in overcrowded and often unsafe boats. Human rights groups estimate that more than 3,000 people died attempting the journey in 2025 alone.

Pope Leo’s visit coincided with the implementation of the European Union’s new Migration Pact, which introduces stricter asylum and migration regulations across member states. While European leaders debate border control measures, the pontiff urged governments to place human dignity at the centre of migration policies.

A day earlier, he warned that history would judge leaders who fail to protect people forced to flee war, insecurity and economic hardship.

During a stop at a migrant reception centre in Tenerife, which has hosted tens of thousands of migrants since opening in 2021, the pope listened to personal testimonies from migrants.

One of them, Bousso Diouf, appealed for compassion and dignity, telling the pontiff that migrants were not seeking special treatment but “respect, humanity and the opportunity to live with dignity.”

Throughout his Spanish tour, Pope Leo has repeatedly called for greater solidarity with displaced people. His trip included historic visits to Madrid and Barcelona, where he addressed lawmakers and warned that escalating global conflicts were pushing the world deeper into crisis.

Spain has maintained a comparatively welcoming approach to migration, including plans to regularise the status of hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants. However, the policy has generated political debate and criticism from anti-immigration groups.

As he prepared to return to Rome on Friday, Pope Leo reiterated his call for compassion toward migrants while issuing a stark message to those who profit from their desperation: repent while there is still time.