Whereas the persecution of Christians is a global problem, occurring in countries across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and the Americas; Whereas Christians face persecution not only from Islamic extremist groups, like the Islamic State and Boko Haram, but also from other religious extremist groups and from officials at all levels of government; Whereas such persecution ranges from social harassment and discrimination to physical violence, imprisonment, torture, enslavement, rape, and death; Whereas Christianity is one of the most persecuted religions in the world; Whereas over 200,000,000 Christians experience persecution across the globe; Whereas the majority of persecuted Christians live in the Middle East; Whereas Christianity is not a Western imposition on historically Islamic countries in the Middle East because the Middle East has been a home to Christians since the first century A.D.; Whereas the Christian population in the Middle East has significantly decreased over the past few decades as a result of persecution, displacement, and genocide; Whereas Christians in Syria and Iraq have been facing genocide for many years; Whereas the Christian population in Iraq decreased from 1,400,000 people in 2003 to just 275,000 people in 2016, as a result of displacement and genocide caused by religious extremism; Whereas many Syrian Christians have been displaced, and those unable to escape have been subject to imprisonment, torture, enslavement, and execution by the Islamic State; Whereas Christian holy sites in Syria have been destroyed by the Islamic State; Whereas in Iran, Christian converts have been banned from attending church services during the Christmas season, in an effort to limit the spread of Christianity; Whereas in 2016, approximately 200 Christians were arrested in Iran for their faith; Whereas in Saudi Arabia, Christians must practice their faith in secrecy because churches are not allowed, and makeshift churches in homes are raided