Trump Administration Gives Hope to Persecuted Christians by Lisa Jones
Christian Freedom International supports President Trump’s executive order regarding refugee resettlement.
The order mandates the suspension of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program for 120 days, while the secretaries of State and Homeland Security review the program’s application and adjudication process, and determine whether additional measures are required to “ensure that those approved for refugee admission do not pose a threat to the security and welfare of the United States.”
Once the 120 days expire only nationals from countries determined to have sufficient safeguards in place to guarantee the security and welfare of America would be allowed into the country.
The order gives priority for resettlement to refugees facing religious persecution, so long as the refugee belongs to a “minority religion” in his or her country of nationality. CFI president Jim Jacobson praises the order: “This means that persecuted Christians will finally be considered for resettlement. Under the Obama administration, persecuted Christians from Syria, Iraq, and elsewhere were either essentially ignored or flatly denied consideration for resettlement to the U.S.”
According to Jacobson, “The Trump administration has given hope to persecuted Christians that their cases will finally be considered.”
In the Middle East, Christians are a minority religion facing genocide but were abandoned under the Obama administration. The new executive order gives priority to “minority religions.”
The new executive order will change current policies that have favored Muslim refugees. For example, during fiscal year 2016 alone, the Obama administration admitted a total of 12,587 Syrian refugees, according to the Refugee Processing Center data. The vast majority – 12,363, or 98.2 percent were Sunni Muslims. 68 refugees, or 0.5 percent were Christians, and 24, or 0.2 percent were Yazidis.
The Obama administration announced last year that it wanted to increase the refugee intake in fiscal year 2017 to 110,000, up from 85,000. President Trump’s executive order mandates processing and admitting a total of 50,000 refugees this fiscal year, with priority given to minority religions, i.e., Christians.
The U.S. accepts more refugees for resettlement than any other country, says the UNHCR. However, last year the Obama administration admitted the highest number of Muslim refugees of any year on record, according to the Pew Research Center.
Christian Freedom International is an interdenominational human rights organization for religious liberty, helping persecuted Christians and their communities world-wide including emergency and disaster relief, Bible distribution, medical assistance, food, water, clothing, tools, schools, habitat improvement, aid to the disabled, education, pastor & child sponsorship, advocacy, refugee & asylum case-work, vocational training, resettlement assistance and self-help initiatives.
Christian Freedom International has assisted in the resettlement of Karen Christian refugees from Burma, and assisted Christian asylum seekers from around the world. CFI operates the Freedom Inn, an immigrant community housing program, here in the U.S. to assist persecuted Christian refugees transition to self-sufficiency.
To find out how you can help please visit our website or call 800.323.2273