U.S. Government Body Says Refugees Persecuted for Their Faith Should be Given Priority
- Updated Dec 02, 2015
A U.S. government body has said that Syrian refugees who are being persecuted for their faith should be given priority in the refugee resettlement process.
Christian Today reports that the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released a statement Tuesday saying that it supports the continuing efforts to resettle Syrian refugees.
Although the USCIRF said that the refugees must be “carefully vetted,” the organization also stated that the U.S. has a responsibility to help those suffering persecution and who need a safe-haven.
“That responsibility starts with a generous policy of admitting those Syrian refugees to the United States who are vulnerable to the most horrific mistreatment – including murder, rape, torture, and enslavement,” the group said.
The USCIRF also stated that those facing persecution based on their faith should be given priority--a topic that has been controversial.
On Sunday, Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush said there should be “some preference” for Christians persecuted by ISIS. Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz has also said that Christian refugees should be prioritized.
The USCIRF called for preference to be given to all religious minorities being persecuted by ISIS, including Christians, Yazidis, Turkmen, and Shiite Muslims.
Publication date: December 2, 2015
