Pastor Ezra Jin Freed After Trump's Intervention, Reunites with Family in US

Chinese authorities have released pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, founder of the underground Zion Church, who was detained in October 2025 during a crackdown on unregistered Christian groups. He arrived in Los Angeles on July 4, 2026, and has reunited with his family in the United States Source: ABC, CNN.

What happened

Jin's release follows a direct appeal by U.S. President Donald Trump to Chinese President Xi Jinping during Trump's visit to Beijing in May 2026. Trump stated that Xi promised to "seriously consider" the pastor's case Source: ABC. Chinese officials anonymously framed the release as a goodwill gesture for U.S. Independence Day Source: Infobae.

The reaction

Jin's family expressed "overwhelming joy" and thanked both Trump and Xi for their roles, calling it a "tremendous miracle" Source: CNN. Human rights groups welcomed the release but urged continued efforts for others. ChinaAid noted that eight members of the Zion Church remain imprisoned, along with other religious prisoners Source: Infobae, CNN.

Broader context

The crackdown on the Zion Church began in 2018, with authorities closing its Beijing headquarters. Jin was prohibited from leaving China and was arrested at his home in Beihai on charges of illegal use of information networks Source: ABC. His release is seen as a conciliatory gesture amid fragile U.S.-China relations, but advocates stress that systematic religious persecution persists.