Ted Cruz

Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and his Democratic Illinois counterpart led a bipartisan Senate resolution that passed, calling for President Donald Trump to secure the release of several political prisoners in China.

In a Senate resolution that passed Thursday, May 13, with unanimous consent, calls for Trump to prioritize securing the release of political prisoners during his current visit to China, including Pastor Jin Mingri, Pastor Gao Quanfu and his wife, Pang Yu, Dr. Gulshan Abbas and Jimmy Lai.

"The Chinese Communist Party is an authoritarian regime that jails dissidents, silences religious believers, and violates basic freedoms," Cruz said in a statement. "The Senate’s passage of this bipartisan resolution underscores that America will continue fighting to secure the release of those wrongfully detained and hold the CCP accountable for these detentions."

USA TODAY reported that Trump has hinted at his plans to raise the issue of the detention of Mingri and Lai during a visit with President Xi Jinping before he left for China on Tuesday.

“People would like him out, and I’d like to see him get out, too,” Trump said of Lai on May 11. “So, I’ll bring him up again.”

After the passage of Senate Resolution 728, the author, Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., said in a statement that "no one should fear for their lives or political imprisonment for standing up for democracy and freedom."

"While the Chinese have worked with my office on such cases in the past and made some important gestures, it’s time for the immediate release of Dr. Gulshan Abbas, Pastor Jin Mingri, Pastor Gao Quanfu and Pang Yu, and Jimmy Lai," said in a statement. "I urge President Trump to raise their cases with Chinese President Xi Jinping when he visits China in the near future."

Who are the Chinese political prisoners Trump is seeking to release?

According to the resolution, here's who the Senate is asking for Trump to release, along with who they are:

Pastor Gao Quanfu — a part of the Light of Zion Church in Xi’an was detained on May 17, 2025, and is being held on charges of "using superstitious activities to undermine the implementation of law" and "fraud."

Pang Yu —wife of Gao, was detained on June 7, 2025, and remains held despite holding no official position in the church, and has been denied access to critical prescription medication.

Pastor Jin Mingri — founder of Zion Church, was detained on Oct. 10, 2025 on charges of "illegal use of information networks."

Dr. Gulshan Abbas — a retired medical doctor, was "forcibly disappeared" on Sept. 11, 2018, shortly after her sister, a U.S. citizen, publicly criticized the treatment of Uyghurs by Chinese authorities. She was later sentenced to 20 years following "secret proceedings on charges that independent observers and human rights organizations have characterized as politically motivated."

Jimmy Lai — founder of the Apple Daily newspaper in Hong Kong. Received a 20-year sentence in Feb. 2026, on national security charges.

The resolution also includes "other wrongly detained individuals" but does not give specifics. It also urges Trump to "seek verifiable proof of life and access to independent legal counsel, family communication, and medical care for such detainees."

Mateo Rosiles is the Texas Connect reporter for USA TODAY and its regional papers in Texas. Got a news tip for him? Email him at [email protected].