U.S. Commissioner on International Religious Freedom Maureen Ferguson to Join CPAC Christian Persecution Summit

Maureen Ferguson, U.S. Commissioner on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and Senior Fellow at The Catholic Association, will speak at CPAC's Christian Persecution Summit on October 30, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Terrace Theatre. Appointed by Speaker Mike Johnson in May 2024, she brings Catholic-rooted advocacy to the forefront of global religious liberty battles, spotlighting threats to Christians under authoritarian regimes.

With decades of experience in public policy and human rights advocacy, Ferguson champions protections for faith communities facing repression, from church closures and wrongful imprisonments in Cuba to violent assaults on believers in Nigeria and Nicaragua. As a USCIRF Commissioner, she pushes for U.S. action against governments that weaponize laws to stifle worship, echoing the systematic targeting of Christians worldwide—whether through state surveillance, forced closures, or aid denial to faith-based groups aiding the vulnerable.

Her testimony and writings underscore the urgency of elevating religious freedom in foreign policy, urging accountability for nations where Christians endure harassment, arrests, and erasure of their spiritual heritage.

At the Summit, Ferguson will share strategies to combat these encroachments, drawing on USCIRF's monitoring to advocate for bolder international responses that safeguard persecuted believers.

Register today at cpac.org/summit/christians.