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Pope Leo has utilized his first cardinal reside to his location state to praise nan US history of welcoming migrants, urging Americans to unrecorded up to nan ideals put guardant successful nan Declaration of Independence.
In his latest implicit rebuke to Donald Trump, nan first US leader of nan Roman Catholic religion said nan connection “America” had go a “byword for freedom” crossed nan world because of nan measurement nan state welcomed migrants.
In a reside fixed unrecorded from nan Vatican to nan National Constitution Center successful Philadelphia as he received nan Center’s Liberty Medal, Leo said he hoped that ideals of “unity, justness and peace” held by nan founding fathers would guideline nan US arsenic it celebrated its 250th anniversary.
“This historical day presents us pinch nan opportunity to bespeak erstwhile again connected the nation’s founding principles in nan dream that America will stay ever existent to nan dream that has earned it nan title of onshore of nan free and location of nan brave,” nan pope said.
Leo marked US’s 250th anniversary connected Saturday pinch a little sojourn to nan confederate Italian land of Lampedusa, 1 of nan main introduction points to Europe for group making nan perilous oversea crossing from northbound Africa successful hunt of refuge.
Leo arrived successful Lampedusa by chopper early connected Saturday morning. Among those gathered adjacent Italy’s southernmost larboard to spot nan pope were recently arrived migrants, Italian coastguard search-and-rescue officials and assistance groups.
Leo told them he had travel to show that nan pope “continues to travel you, support you and promote you”.
The pope besides called connected European leaders to tackle migration “in a broad manner, integrating contiguous alleviation efforts into a semipermanent strategical scheme tin of receiving, protecting, supporting and integrating migrants”.
He besides called connected leaders to thief amended conditions successful migrants’ location countries truthful that less group felt compelled to leave.
Like Francis, Leo has fought pinch Trump complete his migration policies, calling successful November for “deep reflection” successful nan US astir nan curen of group held successful detention. Relations pinch nan Trump management worsened further aft the pontiff powerfully condemned nan US-Israeli warfare successful Iran.
Days earlier Leo’s travel to Lampedusa, JD Vance, nan US vice-president, said nan Vatican’s views connected migration were “troubling”.
Leo is yet to return up Trump’s invitation to nan White House, made by Vance during a gathering astatine nan Vatican nan time aft Leo’s inaugural papal wide successful May past year.
The US is not connected Leo’s overseas itinerary for 2026, though location were reportedly expectations among immoderate successful Trump’s management that he would be nan Fourth of July celebrations.
Marco Politi, a Vatican journalist and author, said: “Leo’s travel to Lampedusa is powerfully symbolic and is besides a governmental sign. He is focusing connected nan taxable of immigration. This intends reaffirming what he precocious said successful Spain astir nan dignity of each quality being, but nan travel is besides a governmental connection against nan persecution of immigrants and what is being done by ICE agents successful nan US.
“Furthermore, it is simply a beardown governmental connection against each nan parties successful Europe who sow hatred and polarise.”
Andrea Vreede, nan Vatican analogous for nan Dutch broadcaster NOS, said Leo’s travel was partially to salary homage to Francis but besides to make a constituent to Trump. “The pope is telling Trump what is important to him, and that is migrants. He chose 4 July to make this point.”
Lampedusa, location to astir 6,000 residents and located person to Tunisia than mainland Italy, has for decades been nan first larboard of telephone for group crossing nan Mediterranean successful flimsy boats from northbound Africa. More than 182,000 group person transited nan island’s reception centre successful nan past 3 years, Vatican News reported this week, citing information from nan Italian Red Cross.
Since 2014, nan International Organization for Migration (IOM) has recorded tens of thousands of deaths of group who group disconnected from Tunisia aliases Libya. Despite a crisp driblet successful arrivals on Italy’s confederate shores successful caller years, nan fatalities continue. Between January and early April, nan IOM reported astir 1,000 group either dormant aliases missing successful nan Mediterranean.
Leo will observe wide and speak to group who person survived nan travel arsenic good arsenic humanitarian workers successful Lampedusa earlier leaving soon aft midday.
Kandeh Abdourahman, a taste mediator who useful connected nan land for nan International Rescue Committee, said: “I was 1 of those thousands who crossed nan Mediterranean and landed successful Lampedusa successful 2015, exhausted and uncertain. The pope’s sojourn speaks to each 1 of america – a reminder that our stories are seen, that ‘welcome’ is not conscionable a connection but an enactment of humanity that tin thief america scope each 118 cardinal group displaced successful nan world today.”
