Washington, DC: June 22, 2017. (PCP) White House press secretary Sean Spicer stated yesterday that President Trump, "has been very focused on trying to get countries to agree and work together to create safe zones because refugees would rather be in the country where they are from." In Defense of Christians (IDC) commends President Trump's commitment to safe zones in Syria, which would be a crucial first step toward ending the conflict in Syria and solving a terrible humanitarian crisis. The United Nations estimates that more than 9 million people have been displaced by the civil war in Syria with almost 5 million living in areas that are under siege. The establishment of safe zones in Syria, where people would be protected from Bashar al-Assad's regime and violent extremists, would alleviate the suffering of millions of Syrian refugees across the Middle East. It would also unburden surrounding states that are threatened with destabilization due to the conflict. Lebanon is hosting more refugees proportionally than any country in the world. The Syrian refugees in Lebanon are languishing in camps and on the streets. They have a right to return home in safety and dignity. IDC's President Toufic Baaklini stated, "IDC joins those supporting the Trump administration’s commitment to defeating ISIS and to ensuring the stabilization and reconstruction follow. Stability necessarily includes safe zones in Syria.” Representative Darin LaHood (R-IL) and Representative Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) have introduced a bipartisan resolution, H. Res. 252, supporting the establishment of safe zones in Syria and the security and stability of Lebanon. "IDC applauds Congressman LaHood and Congresswoman Kaptur for their leadership, and is hopeful that Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel--who have been very outspoken about the need for safe zones in Syria--will swiftly bring this important bipartisan resolution to a mark up of the House Foreign Affairs Committee," Baaklini added.