Nearly 3,500 Christians Petition Trump to Protect Refugees Fleeing Religious Persecution
Since 1944, World Relief has operated as a Christian humanitarian organization partnering with local churches to address poverty, disaster recovery, and relief globally. As President Trump has neared the setting of the annual refugee ceiling for Fiscal Year 2027, however, the company has begged Trump through a written statement to think of Christians fleeing persecution and make those persecuted for their faith a top priority for resettlement.
Matthew Soerens, vice president of advocacy and policy at World Relief, explained the plea this way:
“This letter isn’t necessarily asking President Trump to be like Joe Biden, Barack Obama or George Bush—it’s asking him to be consistent with his own policies from his first administration, when he made international religious liberty a priority.”
“As a matter of faith, the mandate is clear,” added Soerens. “As a matter of patriotism, for a nation built by immigrants fleeing persecution on account of their faith, closing the door to this generation of refugees is unconscionable.”
Calling the impending deadline a “crossroads,” president and CEO of World Relief, Myal Greene added, “We can rectify a great moral wrong by again admitting refugees who have experienced the worst this world has to offer.”
With over 70 percent of Christians believing that refugee work and rescue is a moral responsibility and 87 percent of pastors agreeing that Christians fleeing persecution should be a priority for refugee resettlement, 10 senators from both parties in the U.S. urge Trump to address religious persecution in China at the U.S.-China summit.
While no final conclusion have been made, 3,500 Christians have asked Trump to consider these findings in light of future refugee decisions made. World Relief adds that while the letter is closed to additional signatures, Christians around the country are encouraged to reach out to their Members of Congress in the days before the Presidential Determination is set to “encourage them to use their influence to ensure a historically consistent ceiling is set that prioritizes refugees fleeing religious persecution.
On Oct. 1, following the group's petition, President Trump released his determination on the number of refugees to be admitted to the country during Fiscal Year 2027.
"The admission of up to 17,500 refugees to the United States during Fiscal Year 2027 is justified by humanitarian concerns or is otherwise in the national interest," the presidential determination reads.
Additionally, the document states from where most of these admitted refugees are likely to come.
"The admissions shall primarily be allocated among Afrikaners from South Africa pursuant to Executive Order 14204. Refugee admissions under this determination, which may reach but not exceed the numerical limit described herein, are in all respects subject to the requirements of other Presidential policies and actions, whether issued prior or subsequent to this determination."
For call instructions, visit worldrelief.org/advocate.”
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Scott Olson/Staff
Originally published October 02, 2026.
