The Trump Administration’s revised travel and refugee ban was released yesterday, and among the revisions made was a removal of the part that said religious minorities of the Middle East would be prioritized.
After the original order, Trump spoke about helping persecuted Christians be prioritized specifically. The current order, which is effective March 16, only mentions “fear of persecution or torture,” but does not reference if that fear is based on religion.
According to Pew, in a 30-day period about 6,000 refugees came to the United States and the proportion of Christians and Muslims was nearly even 43 to 46, respectively.
Nina Shea, the director of the Hudson Institute’s Center for Religious Freedom, wrote about her concerns for religious minorities in the area.
[lborder]There’s a dire need for President Trump to issue a separate executive order—one specifically aimed to help ISIS genocide survivors in Iraq and Syria. For three years, the Christians, Yizidis and others of the smallest religious minorities have been targeted by ISIS with beheadings, crucifixions, rape, torture and sexual enslavement . The Christian community is now so shattered and vulnerable, without President Trump’s prompt leadership, the entire Iraqi Christian presence could soon be wiped out.
[/lborder]Many Christian advocates have also spoken out against Christians being given preferential treatment, calling for compassion for everyone who needs help.
