Pope warns people smugglers they face God’s wrath

Article excerpt

Pope Leo condemned human trafficking during a weeklong tour of Spain, warning people smugglers they face divine punishment. Migration has dominated the pontiff's visit to the country, where he has repeatedly emphasized the moral obligations toward migrants. The Pope's statements reflect the Catholic Church's increasingly vocal stance on migration policies and the exploitation of vulnerable populations seeking better lives. His condemnation of smuggling networks, which generate billions annually by moving people across borders, represents a religious framing of what Western governments typically address as a law-enforcement problem.