This International Religious Freedom Day, Let’s Protect Persecuted Christians

Recently, the detention of an Iranian couple seeking asylum in the United States went viral. The individual who filmed the video was the couple’s pastor. As the story spread, it caught the attention of the Iranian Republican Guard, who raided the house of one of the couple’s parents who were still in Iran, looking for Bibles, in line with a governmental practice of seizing non-Shia materials.  

Across the globe, Christians are suffering for their faith at staggering levels. According to Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List, more than 380 million Christians face high levels of persecution and discrimination. In the top 50 most dangerous countries alone, 310 million endure very high or extreme persecution.  

From Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where extremist groups like Boko Haram and ISIS-affiliated militias have killed 7000 Christians just this year, to North Korea, where believers risk execution for owning a Bible, the suffering is relentless. In Sudan, civil war has displaced 14 million people, including thousands of Christians targeted for their faith.  

These horrific instances of persecution are symbolic of a troubling new reality. The world is more violent now than ever before in the modern era. Over 50 countries now experience sustained levels of conflict. As unrest and persecution increase, more and more people are forced to flee for their lives and the lives of their families. 

According to UNHCR, over 2.5 million refugees urgently need resettlement, many fleeing religious persecution. The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) must prioritize those most vulnerable. That includes Christians in Nigeria, Syria, Iran, North Korea, and even Afghan Christians who remain stranded across the world after being evacuated for their support of the United States – individuals who cannot safely worship, gather or even own Scripture. From Yazidis in Iraq to monks in Tibet to the Rohingya of Myanmar to Hmong Christians in Vietnam, there are stories of every variety detailing people of faith persecuted for their beliefs. As the needs around the world grow, so should the United States’ support for the most vulnerable people in the world.  

As Christians, our faith should inform our policy positions. Scripture calls us to respond. Hebrews 13:3 exhorts us: “Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” And Proverbs 31:8 commands: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.” 

At World Relief, we have been a voice for those refugees fleeing mistreatment for over 80 years. We see their courage, their resilience and their hope. We have heard the stories of the 12,328 refugees World Relief resettled in 2024, and we advocate for the millions of God’s children who live both in the fear of present violence and in the hope of a future peaceful life. The United States has been a land of opportunity for those fleeing religious violence and oppression since its founding, and its legacy as a shining city on a hill for refugees is partially dependent on the Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions.  

As the administration prepares its Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions for FY2026, it must ensure that persecuted religious minorities – including Christians – are given robust access to resettlement. President Trump’s 2021 Presidential Determination was the first to specifically name persecuted religious minorities, stating that it would be “prioritizing refugees who have suffered or fear persecution on the basis of religion.” This boldness to protect those facing persecution is the kind of leadership needed as temperatures rise around the world. This protection could apply to Iraqi Christians displaced by ISIS, Iranian converts facing harsh penalties for their faith and Chin Baptists fleeing military oppression in Myanmar. Now, as religious persecution is on the rise, the United States needs to again prioritize protecting religious minorities living under the threat of violence in its prioritization of refugee admissions.  

We have a critical opportunity to reaffirm America’s commitment to protecting religious freedom. At World Relief, we’ve walked alongside persecuted individuals for over 80 years. These are not just numbers – they are families, pastors and communities who fled violence simply for practicing their faith. The United States must continue to be a refuge for those who cannot worship freely, and what better way to mark International Religious Freedom Day than by honoring that legacy. 

Myal Greene has a deep desire to see churches worldwide equipped, empowered, and engaged in meeting the needs of vulnerable families in their communities. In 2021, he became President and CEO after serving for fourteen years with the organization. While living in Rwanda for eight years, he developed World Relief’s innovative church-based programming model that is currently used in nine countries. He also spent six years in leadership roles within the international programs division. He has previous experience working with the U.S. Government. He holds B.S. in Finance from Lehigh University and an M.A. from Fuller Theological Seminary in Global Leadership. He and his wife Sharon and have three children.