Two new studies on worldwide religious persecution show that Christians continue to be the most attacked faith group around the globe. According to Fox News, a study by The Center for Studies on New Religions has revealed that 90,000 Christians across the globe were killed for their beliefs last year—with nearly one third of the murders attributed to Islamic extremists. In addition to the traditional hot spots of Iraq and Syria, there have been increased incidents in other Gulf states, including Iran, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The study also revealed that an estimated 600 million Christians were prevented from practicing their faith last year alone. “These numbers underscore what we already know,” Robert Nicholson of the Philos Project told Fox News. “There are many places on earth

where being a Christian is the most dangerous thing you can be. Those who think of Christianity as a religion of the powerful need to see that in many places it’s a religion of the powerless. And the powerless deserve to be protected.”

Particularly troubling are numbers from Open Door USA, which reveal that attacks are up in North, Central and South America. In Mexico alone, 23 Christians were killed because of their faith, David Curry, president and CEO of Open Doors USA, said to Fox News. “The spread of persecution has gotten worse, now hitting nearly every continent in the world,” he said.

Even as the increased persecution spreads ever closer to America, President Donald Trump is working to secure our southern border by constructing a new wall to control illegal immigration, while also implementing a temporary moratorium on refugees from seven select Middle East countries. The immigration freeze is an effort to limit the number of radicalized Islamic jihadists entering the U.S. while new screening procedures are developed. Trump’s moves have prompted nationwide protests by activists who allege the president is discriminating against Hispanics and Muslims. While news coverage of the protests dominated the media for days, the issue of Christian persecution has been widely unreported.

Remember to pray for our new President Trump, as well as the millions of Christians across this world facing true persecution.