USCIRF says international community must protect refugees fleeing religious persecution

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 2, 2025 / 13:16 pm

The international community has a moral and legal responsibility to protect refugees fleeing religious persecution, according to a report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).

“While states are responsible for protecting the fundamental human rights of their own citizens, refugees by definition do not receive such protections from their own governments,” the report noted.

As the number of refugees has doubled over the last decade, there are growing challenges for neighboring countries to host them. Despite the growing numbers, the USCIRF report noted that it is not just a moral responsibility for countries to welcome refugees but a legal one.

The International Religious Freedom Act , or IRFA, in