American politicians talk about persecuted Christians abroad - but here's what happens when those Christians migrate to the US

"Copts belong to one of the oldest Christian communities in the world and make up about 10% of Egypt's population. They face discrimination and periodic violence; they are often described in political, religious, and advocacy discourse as a persecuted minority."

"When these Christians arrive in the U.S., they are subject to the same immigration system that detains and deports other migrants."

"My research shows how two realities - the narrative of Christian persecution abroad and the subsequent treatment of Copts in the U.S. immigration system - often conflict."

Terez Metry, a Coptic Christian, was detained by immigration officers during a routine green card application process. Her family fled Egypt during the Arab Spring, but their asylum claim was denied, and Metry was unaware of a removal order issued when she was 13. Despite the narrative of persecution faced by Copts in Egypt, Metry's case illustrates that they encounter the same immigration system as other migrants, without receiving preferential treatment upon arrival in the U.S.

Read at The Conversation