Monday, September 28, 2026 - Chinese pastor Ezra Jin Mingri has been reunited with his family in the United States after being detained in China for nearly nine months.
Jin, a leader of the underground Zion Church, was unexpectedly released on July 3 and flown to Los Angeles shortly after President Donald Trump raised his case with Chinese President Xi Jinping during their May meeting in Beijing. Jin described the sudden turn of events as “unreal” and said his release came when he had feared he could spend many years behind bars.
The pastor’s release has renewed attention on religious freedom in China, particularly the situation facing leaders of unregistered Christian churches.
According to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, eight other Zion Church leaders arrested alongside Jin remain detained. Jin has publicly called for their release, saying his return home was joyful but difficult because other members of his church remain imprisoned.
Jin’s case is now drawing fresh attention as U.S.-China discussions continue. He has credited Trump’s intervention with helping secure his freedom, while Chinese authorities have maintained that religious affairs are handled under Chinese law and have opposed what they describe as foreign interference.
For Jin, the immediate priority is clear: using his newfound freedom to draw attention to Christians and other detainees who, he says, are still waiting for their own chance to go home.
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