Lampedusa: Pope Leo has praised the United States’ long-standing tradition of welcoming migrants, urging the nation to remain faithful to its founding ideals in a landmark address marking the country’s 250th anniversary.
Speaking live from the Vatican after receiving the Liberty Medal from the National Constitution Centre in Philadelphia, the first American-born pope described the United States as a global symbol of freedom because of its history of embracing immigrants. Pope Leo called on Americans to uphold the principles of unity, justice and peace enshrined in the Declaration of Independence.
Pope Leo remarked that, “This historic anniversary presents us with the opportunity to reflect once again on the nation’s founding principles in the hope that America will remain ever true to the dream that has earned it the title of land of the free and home of the brave.”
The remarks were widely viewed as an indirect criticism of US President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, continuing a series of differences between the Vatican and the Trump administration over migration and humanitarian issues.
Pope Leo will make a symbolic visit to the Italian island of Lampedusa, one of Europe’s main entry points for migrants crossing the Mediterranean from North Africa. Pope Leo is scheduled to visit a cemetery containing many unmarked graves of migrants who died attempting the dangerous sea journey before paying tribute at the Porta d’Europa migrant memorial.
The pope will also bless a plaque at a pier named after his predecessor, Pope Francis, who made Lampedusa the destination of his first papal trip in 2013 and condemned what he called the ‘globalisation of indifference’ toward migrants.
Pope Leo has previously called for deeper reflection on the treatment of migrants in detention in the United States. He has also criticised the humanitarian impact of recent conflicts involving the US and Israel. His stance has drawn criticism from some US officials, with Vice President JD Vance recently describing the Vatican’s position on immigration as ‘troubling.’
Although President Trump invited Pope Leo to visit the White House, the Vatican has not included the United States in the pope’s overseas travel schedule for 2026. Observers see his decision to spend America’s Independence Day in Lampedusa as a powerful statement highlighting the dignity and rights of migrants.
Lampedusa, located between Sicily and Tunisia, has received hundreds of thousands of migrants in recent years. According to humanitarian organisations, thousands have died or gone missing while attempting to cross the Mediterranean, making the island a lasting symbol of both migration and the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
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