Pastor Freed From Chinese Prison Weeks After Trump Request
WASHINGTON — A pastor of a prominent underground church in China has been released from detention and arrived in the United States, weeks after President Donald Trump raised his case directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a state visit to Beijing. Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, founder of Beijing’s Zion Church, landed in Los Angeles on July 4, 2026, reuniting with his family after being held since October 2025, according to NPR.
Background: The Detention of Ezra Jin
Jin, who founded Zion Church in Beijing in 2007 with about 20 worshippers, saw it grow into one of China’s largest independent Protestant churches, with a network of approximately 10,000 people across 40 cities. Chinese authorities banned the church in 2018 after it resisted government pressure to install security cameras at its Beijing property, but the congregation continued operating online.
In October 2025, Jin and 17 other Zion Church leaders were detained in overnight raids across China in what rights advocates described as one of the largest crackdowns on a single church in decades. They were accused of “illegally using information networks.” At least eight members of Zion Church remain detained.
Trump’s Intervention
The case gained international attention after Trump, returning from a state visit to Beijing in May 2026, told reporters he had raised Jin’s detention with Xi. “He said he’s gonna strongly consider the pastor,” Trump said aboard Air Force One. Trump also raised the case of Hong Kong activist Jimmy Lai, who was sentenced to 20 years in February, but said Xi told him Lai’s case “would be a tough one.”
Jin’s daughter, Grace Jin Drexel, who lives in the United States and had not seen her father in six years, testified before a U.S. congressional committee in November 2025, saying: “My father started Zion in order to worship freely in a church that put God as the sole head of our church, like many faithful Christians everywhere.”
A Rare Diplomatic Outcome
Jin’s release is a rare instance of China releasing one of its own citizens apparently in response to U.S. lobbying. In a family statement, Jin’s relatives expressed overwhelming gratitude, saying they “truly witnessed a miracle.” The statement specifically thanked Trump and his administration, while also acknowledging that the release “could not have happened without the direct intervention from Chairman Xi Jinping.” The family expressed hope that the development “is a signal of a positive turn for people of faith in China and relations between our two nations.”
Broader Crackdown on Religious Freedom
While Jin’s release has been celebrated by his family and supporters, human rights advocates have urged continued attention on those still detained. Maya Wang, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, wrote on X: “At least 8 members of Zion Church remain detained in China. They should all be freed.”
Brian Tronic of Freedom House echoed the sentiment, noting that while Jin’s release “will bring much-needed comfort to his family, friends and many supporters, we cannot forget the leaders and members of Zion Church who remain detained.”
Christianity is legal in China, but worship is only permitted in government-controlled, registered churches. The ruling Communist Party, which is officially atheist, views organized religion as a potential threat to its hold on power. Under Xi, authorities have pushed to “Sinicize” religion by demanding loyalty to the party. The crackdown on unregistered churches has continued, with members of the Early Rain Church, another prominent underground group, detained as recently as June 2026.
Analysis: Diplomatic Significance
Jin’s release provides a tangible diplomatic outcome from Trump’s May 2026 state visit to Beijing, demonstrating the U.S. president’s ability to secure a humanitarian concession from Xi. It follows the 2024 release of American pastor David Lin, who was freed after 20 years following lobbying by the U.S. State Department. However, Jin’s case is distinct — as a Chinese citizen, his release represents an unusual gesture from Beijing.
Bob Fu, founder of ChinaAid, thanked Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and other U.S. officials for their efforts, but urged the administration to continue making “religious freedom and the release of all prisoners of faith a top priority in every engagement with Beijing.”
What’s Next
The fate of the remaining eight Zion Church detainees remains uncertain, and broader U.S.-China tensions over trade, technology, and the Iran conflict continue. The case of Jimmy Lai, a British citizen convicted under Hong Kong’s national security law, remains unresolved, highlighting the different diplomatic calculus Beijing applies to politically charged cases. Whether Jin’s release signals a broader shift in China’s approach to religious freedom or remains an isolated diplomatic gesture is an open question.”