Pope Leo XIV visits Lampedusa on July 4 to pray for migration victims

Pope Leo XIV, the first US-born pope in history, spent July 4 on the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, the epicentre of Europe's migration debate. He prayed at a migrant cemetery and celebrated Mass for the island's newest arrivals, while the US marked the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The visit comes amid his ongoing disagreements with the Trump administration over its immigration crackdown.