A prominent Christian pastor has been freed from prison in China and is now safe inside the U.S.
Pastor Ezra Jin Mingiri arrived in Los Angeles on Saturday, July 4, 2026. The release happened after President Trump brought up his case when meeting with Chinese leader XI Jinping in Beijing two months ago.
Jin founded Zion Church in 2007. In 2018, the communist government banned the church, which led Jin to help create an underground house church. Zion Church then grew to 10,000 members.
In one of China’s largest crackdowns on single churches in decades, Jin and 17 other leaders of the underground Zion Church were detained back in October. The pastors were charged with illegally using information networks, which could lead to three years in prison.
Hoping that President Trump would raise the religious liberty issue with President Xi Jinping, Jin’s wife, Anna, and daughter, Grace, who live in America, reached out to the Trump Administration and Congress in October 2025.
By November 2025, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution condemning the arrests of Jin and other church leaders, while the Trump Administration addressed the matter through the State Department.
Then, on May 16, 2026, President Trump brought Jin’s case up to President Xi during the China Summit in Beijing. Xi agreed to release Jin, framing the pastors’ releases as a goodwill gesture to recognize America’s Independence Day.
In a recent X post, Rev. Dr. Bob Fu, founder and president of ChinaAid acknowledged the unified effort between the Body of Christ and political leadership that achieved Jin’s freedom. “We rejoice with Pastor Ezra Jin, his family, and the global Body of Christ on this remarkable Independence Day miracle,” Fu wrote.
“We thank Almighty God for hearing the prayers of His people. We are deeply grateful to President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and all U.S. officials who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to secure Pastor Jin’s freedom. Their unwavering commitment demonstrates that principled leadership and persistent diplomacy can make a life-saving difference,” he added.
ChinaAid Welcomes Release of Pastor Ezra Jin to US, Calls for Freedom for All Prisoners of Faith
MIDLAND, Texas — July 5, 2026 — ChinaAid welcomes with profound gratitude the release of imprisoned Chinese house church pastor Ezra Jin (Pastor Jin), who arrived safely in Los…
— Bob Fu (@BobFu4China) July 4, 2026
While Pastor Jin’s release is one small step for religious freedom, other church leaders are still detained by China.
During a January USCIRF hearing on violations of freedom of religion or belief against Christians abroad, Rep. Mark Alford (R-MO) highlighted the need for international unification to combat religious persecution.
“Religious freedom is not just a Western value, it’s a human right,” said Rep. Alford. “And when violated anywhere, it should concern freedom-loving people everywhere.”
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