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American senator calls for U.S. to open its doors to more Syrian Christian refugees

American senator Tom Cotton from Arkansas calls for the United States to open its doors to Syrian Christian refugees who have fled their homes due to religious persecutions. 

Syrian refugees walk along a makeshift settlement in Bar Elias in the Bekaa valley January 5, 2015. | Reuters/Mohamed Azakir

Cotton told the senate back in March that "Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the world." He shared the story of a Syrian Christian minister and his 12-year-old son who were executed six months ago for not renouncing their faith. The terrorists cut off the boy's fingers and challenged his father to renounce his faith as a Christian and go back to Islam to save the boy from further suffering. They were both murdered, however, by means of crucifixion.

The cross is a symbol of salvation to Christians because it was on the cross that Jesus Christ suffered and died for the sins of many. Today, the terrorists use the cross to strike fear among Christians.

Prior to Cotton's statement, John Kerry, Secretary of State, had already testified in House subcommittee that there is a need to reevaluate the Islamic State's (IS) practice of genocide. Kerry later on declared that the IS was actually practicing genocide. He made this declaration the same day that Cotton made his statement.

However, despite the fact that Syrian Christians are facing massive genocide, these Christians have very slim chance of being admitted into the United States as well as other Western countries as refugees, as pointed out by The Guardian.

In his speech before the senate, Cotton pointed out that according to the State Department, no more than one percent of Syrian refugees admitted into the United States are members of religious minorities, according to the State Department. The senator added that this underrepresentation, however, is not because of discrimination.

The members of these religious minorities reportedly chose not to register under their organization because of fear.

Consequently, Cotton introduced "Religious Persecution Relief Act." This act proposes to allow the entry of around 10,000 Christian refugees and members of other religious minorities from Syria into the United States each year for the next five years. To ensure security, they will still go through the same scrutiny as other refugees from Syria.