We must do more to help persecuted Christians

I'm writing on behalf of the Assyrian Christians in Iraq whose lives are in severe danger by the ISIS caliphate.

The Assyrians were one of the first peoples to convert to Christianity after the crucifixion. They have been living a tentative life in Iraq since the start of Islam about 1,000 years ago. They have been outright persecuted for much of their history. The American invasion of Iraq unleashed a backlash against them with the fall of the rule of law.

The American government has not been as supportive of immigration issues for these people as I feel they should be.

Many European countries have taken their fair share of Assyrians and I think that any effort made to help them enter the United States should be supported by the U.S. government.

No hindrance should be unfairly put in their way. Christian peoples should stick together, and this would be in line with traditional American values of helping the persecuted.

Ramsey Parhad

Mount Prospect