The National Association of Evangelicals, alongside other evangelical Christian organizations, including World Relief and the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, joined a statement prior to President Trump’s inauguration petitioning the new administration to protect the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program.

The U.S. refugee resettlement process is a trusted legal immigration process that provides avenues of protection for Christians and those of other religions fleeing persecution due to their faith. Recent data shows that in 2024, nearly 30,000 Christian refugees were resettled to the United States from 50 countries where Christians face severe persecution for their faith.

“President Trump can lead the nation in rescuing persecuted Christians, as well as believers of other faiths, by maintaining and strengthening the U.S. refugee resettlement program,” said Walter Kim, NAE president. “As the son of a refugee from North Korea, I am alive today because my father was given refuge in South Korea and immigrated to the United States. Evangelical Christians stand ready to partner with the Trump administration to welcome persecuted refugees, knowing that by doing so we are obeying and serving our Lord.”

Scripture reveals God’s heart for the vulnerable and the displaced as he consistently calls his people to minister to and care for the sojourner (Exodus 22:21–24; Leviticus 19:33–34). According to a 2024 Lifeway Research survey, 71 percent of evangelical Christians believe that the United States has a moral responsibility to receive refugees.

The statement urges President Trump to sustain the U.S. refugee resettlement program, maintaining religious liberty and providing protection to those fleeing persecution.

Read and Sign the Statement