If you are a Christian, you should be deeply troubled by the deportation of your sisters and brothers from Detroit. Because persecution is real — and it has little to do with some of the silly issues that American Christians complain about so easily.

Our president — elected with the overwhelming support of white evangelicals — has repeatedly pledged to champion the cause of persecuted Christians, especially those from the Middle East. Yet in this case, his policies could inadvertently contribute to the persecution of Christians.

Many of these immigrants fear for their safety if they are sent back to Iraq. While it’s possible to live — and even thrive — as a Christian in Iraq, many Assyrians and Chaldeans have known immense hardship because of their faith. Many of them were marginalized by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, which is why some of those now facing deportation came to the United States.