According to Faith J.H. McDonnell of Philos Project, the Rt. Rev. Julian M. Dobbs, bishop of the Diocese of CANA East (Convocation of Anglicans in North America), revealed that part of U.S. foreign policy during an interaction with the State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM). Dobbs made his case to the State Department on behalf of a group of Assyrian Christians who are desperate to leave northern Iraq.

"There is no way that Christians will be supported because of their religious affiliation," the State Department said.

McDonnell reported that the Assyrian Christians received both the permission and blessing from their own bishop to leave Iraq. Until recently, church leaders in the region have urged Christians to stay in the Middle East; now they have concluded that their chances of survival are much better if they left.

"Christianity in Iraq is going through one of its worst and hardest stages of its long history, which dates back to the first century," Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil said. "Throughout all these long centuries, we have experienced many hardships and persecutions, offering caravans of martyrs. Yet 2014 brought the worst acts of genocide against us in our history."

Warda added that "Christianity as a religion and as a culture from Mesopotamia [ancient Iraq]" now faced "extinction" due to the ongoing threat posed by ISIS.

McDonnell elaborated on the plight of Christians and other minorities in the region since ISIS took over the Iraqi city of Mosul in June 2014.

"Christians, Yazidis, Mandeans and others were targeted for destruction, and within just the first week of ISIS' occupation, more than 500,000 people fled the city," McDonnell wrote. "The homes of Christians were marked with the Arabic letter 'nun,' standing for Nazarene. Christians were threatened with death if they did not convert to Islam, pay jizya and live as a subjected people—'dhimmi'—or flee immediately."

According to McDonnell, Christians have even been threatened by some Muslims in the refugee camps run by the UN Refugee Agency, or UNHCR. However, the State Department has refused to resettle affected Assyrian Christians in the United States. (Photo via Gospel Herald)

"Donors in the private sector have offered complete funding for the airfare and the resettlement in the United States of these Iraqi Christians that are sleeping in public buildings, on school floors, or worse," McDonnell wrote. "But the State Department—while admitting 4,425 Somalis to the United States in just the first six months of 2015, and possibly even accepting members of ISIS through the Syrian and Iraqi refugee program, all paid for by tax dollars, told Dobbs that they 'would not support a special category to bring Assyrian Christians into the United States.'"

McDonnell contended that the United States government made it clear religious affiliation does not mean support for Christians in the region in the form of asylum.

"The State Department, the wider administration, some in Congress and much of the media and other liberal elites insist that Christians cannot be given preferential treatment," McDonnell wrote. "Even within the churches, some Christians are so afraid of appearing to give preferential treatment to their fellow Christians that they are reluctant to plead the case of their Iraqi and Syrian brothers and sisters."

Read more here.

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

4 Ways Christians Can Pray for the Situation in Iran

New Media Network Combats Anti-American Spin by Featuring Veterans, Law Enforcement

South Dakota Supreme Court Rules 'Transgender' Individuals Can't Change Birth Certificates

Evil: Oregon Democrats Block Bill Requiring Medical Care for Babies Born Alive after Abortions

Oil Prices Dip as Trump Says Iran Conflict Is 'Ahead of Schedule'

3-Hour Airport Security Lines, TSA Working Without Pay during Democrat Gov Shutdown

Democrats Slammed for Shutting Down DHS amid Terrorism Threats

Nation on High Alert after NYC Attack, as Suspects Aligned with Islamic State; Meanwhile Dems Continue Shutdown of Homeland Security

Evangelical Leaders Return to Oval Office to Pray over Trump

Terrorists Transformed into Evangelists: YWAM Reports Powerful Stories of Redemption in Nigeria

Jesse Jackson's Democrat Son CALLS OUT Obama, Biden, and Clinton for Politicizing His Father's Funeral: They 'Do Not Know Jesse Jackson'

Trump Threatens Not to Sign New Legislation until Senate Passes SAVE America Act

Making History: President Trump Inaugurates Very First 'Shield of the Americas' Coalition with Leaders of Hispanic America [Video]

Media Ignored Gabbard's 2025 Islamization Warning, but Hill GOPers Are Taking Action

NYC: Counter-Protester Lights Explosive amid Anti-Mamdani Protest, Utters 'Allahu Akbar'

Iran's Regime Confirms New Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei Already 'Is Wounded'

Trump Pressures Australia and PM Gives In: Grants Refuge to Entire National Women's Football Team of Iran, after 5 Defected

Devout Jew Decides to Disprove Scripture by Reading the Bible; Is 'Blown Away' by What He Finds

South Dakota Passes Prenatal Development Education Bill

How Is a Free Cuba in the National Interest of the United States?