The February 2017 “Muslim ban” imposed by the Trump administration was criticized in many circles. People who were opposed to the limit on refugees from seven war-torn countries pointed to a carve-out in the order that allowed minorities (read non-Muslims) to find refuge in the United States. The protestors claimed that the clause showed the anti-Muslim sentiment of the executive order.
President Trump said that the rationale for the carve-out for minorities was because Christians in those countries had been “horribly treated,” but former President Obama did not make enough allowance for the Christian minorities to escape. He sought to change that dynamic by giving Christians and other minorities priority.
The statments have a mix of facts.
Anti-Christian Countries
The organization Open Doors USA monitors anti-Christian activity from around the world. On January 11, 2017, it announced the worst 50 countries regarding the persecution of Christians.
As there are over 50 Muslim-majority countries, or about 27% of the total number of countries, statistically one would expect 27% of the worst 50 countries to Muslim-majority. According to Open Doors, the number was actually 70%.
However, that statistic – while accurate – is misleading since the vast majority of the 73% of non-Muslim majority countries in the world are Christian-majority, which are unlikely to persecute Christians. The worst non-Muslim countries persecuting Christians were: North Korea (globally ranked #1); India (15); Vietnam (17) and Kenya (18).
Open Doors USA 2016 Map of Christian Persecution
The seven countries listed on the refugee ban were among the worst persecutors of Christians in 2016, with Somalia (ranked #2); Sudan (5); Syria (6); Iraq (7); Iran (8); Yemen (9) and Libya (11). The travel ban did not cover Afghanistan ranked #3 and Pakistan ranked #4 regarding Christian persecution.
Obama Not Allowing Christian Refugees
Trump accused Obama of not doing enough for Christian refugees. The statement is both correct and incorrect.
Obama barely allowed in any refugees from the seven war-torn countries. The only country where Obama did more than President George W. Bush was in Iraq, and the comparison to Bush is sorely lacking, as most of the region fell to war and mayhem under Obama’s watch.
However, statistically, the Obama administration did permit a respectable number of Christians into the US, relative to their population in the country.
| Country | Percent Muslims in Country | Percent of Refugees that were Muslim allowed under Obama Jan 2009-Jan 2017 |
| Iran | 99.7% | 6.5% |
| Iraq | 98.9% | 64.9% |
| Libya | 96.6% | 100.0% |
| Somalia | 98.9% | 99.7% |
| Sudan | 97.0% | 84.7% |
| Syria | 90.0% | 98.5% |
| Yemen | 99.0% | 33.3% |
Source: Wrapsnet.org
As seen in the table above, Obama did not favor Muslim refugees over other minorities in general.
Obama just didn’t do much for any refugees.
But when Trump protestors point out that the biggest casualties of ISIS, al Qaeda and other radical Islamic terrorist groups are other Muslims, that comment is also devoid of meaning. Almost everyone living in the country is Muslim, having long ago gotten rid of any minorities. Over 90% of the casualties in Muslim wars since 1948 are Muslims. That’s the makeup of their societies today.
So beware of each side quoting statistics. The concept of “targeting minorities” in a society that is almost exclusively Muslim has little meaning anymore.
Related First.One.Through articles:
The Media Finds Religion in Matters of Security. Sometimes.
UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants September 2016
The Arab Middle East Makes Refugees, They Don’t Help Them
Help Refugees: Shut the UNRWA, Fund the UNHCR
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