Pope promotes ‘humanitarian corridors’ for migrants

Pope Francis meets refugee families in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Saturday, March 18, 2023 (Gregorio Borgia/AP/PA)

Pope Francis met hundreds of refugees on Saturday as he sought to promote legal migration routes to Europe as an alternative to smuggling operations that he said have turned the Mediterranean into a “cemetery”.

Francis said “humanitarian corridors”, which have operated in Italy since 2016, saved lives and helped newly arrived asylum seekers get acclimatised while church groups provided housing, education and work opportunities.