Ezra Jin Mingri, a Chinese Christian pastor detained since October 2025, was released from a detention center in southern China on July 3 and shortly thereafter flown to the United States following intervention at the highest levels of government. Jin, 57, had been held in Beihai for 266 days on charges including illegal business activity and fraud related to operating an unregistered church, but was freed without a public trial or confession after President Donald Trump raised the matter with Chinese President Xi Jinping in May.
Jin leads Zion Church, an influential underground Christian congregation in China that operates outside of government oversight. His detention was part of a broader crackdown on unregistered religious groups. Authorities closed the church’s main sanctuary in 2018 after the congregation refused to install surveillance cameras. Despite sending his family abroad, Jin remained in China to continue pastoral work, which shifted to small group meetings and online services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On July 3, Jin was informed of his transfer out of detention. Instead of being placed under house arrest as he initially feared, he was taken to Guangzhou and then to an international airport where a temporary court was convened in a VIP lounge. There, prosecutors announced they would not pursue charges against him, effectively clearing the way for his release. He was given his passport, a change of clothes, and a visa by U.S. officials awaiting his arrival. Jin flew to Los Angeles later that day, where he reunited with his family after years of separation.
Jin credited Trump’s personal diplomacy for the unexpected release, calling it “a miracle” and praising what he described as the former president’s “unique diplomacy” that “has results.” Trump had publicly stated during his visit to Beijing in May that he raised Jin’s case with President Xi, who said he would “strongly consider” the request. The Chinese Foreign Ministry responded by emphasizing that China manages religious affairs according to law and rejected external interference on religious matters.
Upon arriving in the United States, Jin reconnected with his family and expressed a commitment to advocating for other detained Christians in China, including Pastor Wang Yi of the Early Rain Covenant Church, who is serving a nine-year sentence. Jin met with House Speaker Mike Johnson and relatives of other imprisoned Christians to raise awareness about ongoing detentions. Johnson described Jin’s release as a rare instance of bipartisan agreement on religious freedom and called for continued efforts to secure the release of others.
Jin’s case is notable as an unusual instance of Beijing acceding to U.S. pressure amid a period of escalating rigidity toward foreign influence and tightened controls over religious groups. Many other Christian pastors and activists remain imprisoned, underscoring the broader challenges religious communities face in China.