{"id":2210,"date":"2026-07-04T11:39:06","date_gmt":"2026-07-04T11:39:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trustedmovinggroups.com\/?p=2210"},"modified":"2026-07-04T11:39:06","modified_gmt":"2026-07-04T11:39:06","slug":"pope-leo-calls-on-u-s-to-protect-immigrants-in-message-marking-americas-250th-birthday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trustedmovinggroups.com\/?p=2210","title":{"rendered":"Pope Leo calls on U.S. to protect immigrants in message marking America\u2019s 250th birthday"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Pope Leo marked the 250th anniversary of U.S. \u200bindependence on Saturday with an appeal to Americans to welcome and protect immigrants, in a letter sent to his home country as he visited \u200cItaly\u2019s migrant frontline island of Lampedusa.<\/p>\n

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Leo, who drew the ire of Donald Trump last year after calling the president\u2019s hardline anti-immigration policies \u201cinhuman\u201c, also urged the world to become \u201cmore human\u201d and to help those fleeing war and poverty.<\/p>\n

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During a day trip to Lampedusa, a gateway for migrants risking dangerous Mediterranean crossings into Europe from Africa, the pope urged European leaders to do more to assist arrivals, which \u200bhave topped 7,000 this year.<\/p>\n

Separately, in an appeal sent to the U.S. for its landmark anniversary, Leo said the Catholic value of defending life includes \u201cwelcoming, protecting \u200band assisting immigrants.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo receive (immigrants) with compassion and generosity is not only an act of charity, but also a recognition of the \u2060dignity that belongs to every human person,\u201d he told the United States.<\/p>\n

Lampedusa, which lies between Tunisia, Malta and Sicily, sits on one \u200bof the world\u2019s deadliest migration routes. Many migrants arrive after crossing the Mediterranean in overcrowded boats and makeshift vessels.<\/p>\n

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The visit echoed that of Pope Francis, who made Lampedusa the \u200bdestination of his first trip outside Rome after becoming pope in 2013.<\/p>\n

Among those gathered near Italy\u2019s southernmost port to see the pope were newly arrived migrants, Italian Coast Guard search-and-rescue officials and aid groups.<\/p>\n

Leo told them he had come to show that the pope \u201ccontinues to accompany you, support you and encourage you.\u201d<\/p>\n

The pope also called on European leaders to tackle migration \u201cin a comprehensive manner, integrating immediate \u200brelief efforts into a long-term strategic plan capable of receiving, protecting, supporting and integrating migrants.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also called on them to help improve conditions in migrants\u2019 home countries so \u200bthat fewer people feel compelled to leave.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe pope\u2019s visit speaks to every one of us,\u201d Kandeh Abdourahman, a migrant who arrived in Lampedusa in 2015 after travelling across five African countries, the \u200cSahara Desert \u2060and the Mediterranean, told Reuters.<\/p>\n

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<\/div>\n

It is \u201ca reminder that our stories are seen, that welcome is not just a word but an act of humanity,\u201d said Abdourahman, now a cultural mediator with the International Rescue Committee.<\/p>\n

A total of 14,464 migrants have arrived in Italy by sea so far this year, according to U.N. Refugee Agency data provided to Reuters, with more than half landing in Lampedusa. The figure exceeds the island\u2019s resident population of about 6,000.<\/p>\n

More than 1,400 people have died or gone missing while attempting to cross \u200bthe Mediterranean this year, including 28 children, \u200baccording to the U.N.\u2019s International Organization for \u2060Migration.<\/p>\n

Since becoming pope in May 2025, Leo has made support for migrants a central theme of his papacy. Last month, he warned that history would judge harshly leaders who mistreat immigrants.<\/p>\n

In his first major address to the U.S. on Friday, he \u200bpraised the country\u2019s history of welcoming immigrants and urged Americans to uphold the ideals set out in the Declaration of Independence.<\/p>\n

Arriving \u200bin Lampedusa shortly before \u20609 a.m. (0700 GMT) on Saturday, Leo laid flowers at a local cemetery on the graves of migrants who died attempting the Mediterranean crossing.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

He also visited the \u201cDoor of Europe,\u201d an art installation on Italy\u2019s southernmost beach dedicated to migrants, walking through the structure towards the Mediterranean amid strong winds.<\/p>\n

Vatican officials said the pope wanted to underline his message of support for migrants \u2060and deliberately \u200btimed the visit to coincide with the July 4 U.S. Independence Day holiday.<\/p>\n

\u201cPope Leo XIV\u2019s presence sends \u200ba clear message at a time when the global political debate on migration is often framed around borders and deterrence rather than protection and shared responsibility,\u201d Anna Leer, an official with the U.N. Refugee Agency, told \u200bReuters.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery act of witness to the humanity of those who flee violence, persecution and conflict carries moral and political weight,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

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Pope Leo marked the 250th anniversary of U.S. \u200bindependence on Saturday with an appeal to Americans to welcome and protect immigrants, in a letter sent to his home country as he visited \u200cItaly\u2019s migrant frontline island of Lampedusa.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2209,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2210","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pope-leo-xiv"],"yoast_head":"\nPope Leo calls on U.S. to protect immigrants in message marking America\u2019s 250th birthday - Trusted Moving Group<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/trustedmovinggroups.com\/?p=2210\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Pope Leo calls on U.S. to protect immigrants in message marking America\u2019s 250th birthday - 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