In a significant reversal, China’s communist government released imprisoned pastor Ezra Jin on Friday, months after President Donald Trump personally appealed for his freedom during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The Free Press reported on July 4 that Jin had arrived in Los Angeles the previous day after spending 266 days in the Chinese Communist Party’s prison system. His release brought an emotional reunion with family members he had not seen in years. According to the report, Jin saw his wife for the first time in eight years and his daughter for the first time in six years.
Jin’s family had previously left China and settled in the United States because of religious persecution. Jin chose to remain behind, continuing his work as the leader of Zion Church despite the growing risks facing unregistered Christian congregations.
Chinese authorities arrested Jin in October during one of the country’s largest crackdowns on Christians in recent decades. Nearly two dozen pastors and church workers connected to Zion Church were detained, though some were later released.
The church had attracted the attention of Chinese officials after growing to roughly 10,000 members without registering with the government. After authorities shut down its Beijing location in 2018, Zion Church adapted by organizing gatherings in more than 100 locations across 40 cities. Its influence continued to grow when it began livestreaming worship services during China’s strict COVID-19 lockdowns.
Following Jin’s arrest, religious freedom groups and Christian organizations around the world called for his release. Advocates pointed to his imprisonment as part of a broader pattern of government pressure against Christians and other religious minorities in China.
Jin’s daughter, Grace, also raised concerns about her father’s health and treatment while in custody. In an October interview with Washington Watch, she said her father had Type 2 diabetes but was being denied medication prescribed by doctors. She also described crowded conditions in which detainees were reportedly forced to sleep in a room with more than 30 people and no beds. Family visits were not allowed.
Hope for Jin’s release increased during a U.S.-China summit in Beijing in May. Trump said he had personally raised the pastor’s case with Xi, later reporting that the Chinese leader was giving the matter “very serious consideration.”
That hope appeared to weaken in the following weeks. Reports emerged that Jin’s lawyer had been prevented from meeting with him, leaving the pastor largely cut off from outside contact. At the same time, Chinese authorities continued targeting Christian groups.
On June 14, between 60 and 70 police officers and government personnel reportedly disrupted a Sunday worship service held by Early Rain Covenant Church. Authorities shut down the gathering and detained 33 worshipers and church leaders.
Despite those developments, diplomatic efforts on Jin’s behalf continued. ChinaAid later reported that Chinese officials told Jin his release was connected to discussions between Trump and Xi. According to the organization, the decision was presented as a goodwill gesture timed to coincide with the United States’ Independence Day celebrations.
News of Jin’s release was welcomed by religious freedom advocates.
Bob Fu, founder and president of ChinaAid and a senior fellow for International Religious Freedom at the Family Research Council, described the release as an “Independence Day miracle.” He thanked Christians who had prayed for Jin and expressed gratitude to Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and other American officials involved in the effort.
Fu said the outcome showed that persistent diplomacy and a firm commitment to religious freedom could make a meaningful difference in the lives of those facing persecution.
Family Research Council President Tony Perkins also praised the administration’s involvement. In a post on X, he said he was grateful that Trump had prioritized religious freedom and pressured Xi to release Jin.
Perkins also emphasized that the case was not fully resolved. Eight other Zion Church pastors and members remained in custody, he said, urging people to continue praying for their release and for others suffering because of their religious beliefs. He called religious freedom a fundamental human right.
In a statement from the Jin family, Grace Jin Drexel described her father’s return as a miracle.
“We are feeling so overwhelmed with joy,” she said. “We thank God for this tremendous miracle.”
The family also thanked Trump and his administration for their leadership, saying Jin’s release likely would not have happened without direct intervention from Xi.
The statement concluded with the hope that Jin’s release could mark a broader change in China’s treatment of religious believers and contribute to improved relations between the United States and China. For Jin and his family, however, the immediate meaning was deeply personal: after years of separation and months of uncertainty, they were finally together again.