WASHINGTON — On Thursday, Sept. 11, Retired Chaldean Bishop Ibrahim Ibrahim of Southfield was among the Christian religious leaders who met with President Obama at the White House to discuss the plight of religious minorities in the Arab World, specifically Iraq. 

The historic meeting, which U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice also attended,  lasted about 40 minutes. 

Ibrahim said Obama assured religious leaders that the United States would do whatever is possible to get rid of the terrorist group known as “the Islamic State.” 

Other religious leaders who met with Obama included Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai; Catholicos Aram of Cilicia, patriarch of the Armenian Apostolic Church; Syriac Catholic Patriarch Ignace Joseph III Younan; Melkite Catholic Patriarch Gregoire III Laham; Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II; Bishop Angaelos, general bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. 

Last week, Ibrahim and other Chaldeans from metro Detroit also joined Christians from around the world in Washington D.C. to participate in the In Defense of Christians conference. 

Senators Debbie Stabenow (D- Mich.) and Ted Cruz (R- Texas) also spoke at the conference, though Cruz was booed off the stage. 

Ibrahim said religious leaders stressed the importance of working out a plan that allows Iraqi Christians to return to villages in the Nineveh Plains they were forced to flee because of “the Islamic State.” 

Ibrahim said religious leaders informed Obama that Christians have to feel secure if they return to their native lands, because they won’t be able to depend on the Iraqi and Kurdish governments for protection.  

A small group of young Chaldean professionals who attended the conference also met with Lebanese Ambassador to the United States Antoine Chedid and members of congress to raise awareness the persecution of Iraqi Christians.