The IRF Community and Boat People SOS circulated a letter urging the U.S. Government to address Vietnam’s escalating persecution of independent religious groups during his upcoming visit. It highlights egregious violations, including forced renunciations of faith, arrests of religious leaders, disruption of religious gatherings, and destruction of places of worship. Specific cases, such as the detention of Montagnard Evangelist Y Krec Bya and harassment of U.S. citizen Khue Vang's family, underscore the severity of the repression. The letter calls on the U.S. to pressure Vietnam to respect religious freedoms, amend repressive laws, release religious prisoners, and end transnational repression of human rights defenders. It emphasizes that further U.S.-Vietnam engagement must be contingent on significant improvements in Vietnam’s human rights record.