Bipartisan Group of Senators Send Letter to Trump Urging Release of Pastor Held in China

A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers is urging President Donald Trump to press for the release of detained Chinese pastor Ezra Jin Mingri ahead of his anticipated May meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. In a March 24 letter, lawmakers including Sens. James Lankford (R-Okla.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.), along with Reps. Riley Moore (R-W.Va.) and Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), called on the president to advocate for the release of not only Jin but also other Christians and religious minorities imprisoned for their beliefs in China. The group emphasized the need for concrete action, urging the administration to invoke the International Religious Freedom Act to impose targeted sanctions and visa restrictions on individuals responsible for severe violations of religious liberty. They also encouraged continued prioritization of international religious freedom within broader U.S.–China policy....