Ask your Representatives and Senators to designate Belarus for Temporary Protected Status

Use this script to call your elected officials and ask them to get Belarus designated for Temporary Protected Status. Call the Washington, DC, office and ask to speak with the foreign policy advisor. If they are unavailable, leave a message with the receptionist. If you get their voicemail inbox, please leave a message.

Use this link to find Representative and Senators and their contact information: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members

Sample Phone Call

This example focuses on the designation of Belarus for Temporary Protected Status.

Identify yourself and explain your relationship with the Senator or Representative:

“Hi, my name is NAME, and I am calling as a constituent and member of the _____ (Belarusian American Diaspora, or any Belarusian American organization you associate with, for example, trhe Association of Belarusians in America, the Belarusian American Association, or any other).”

Explain why you are calling:

“It is very important to me that you urge the Department of Homeland Security to designate Belarus for Temporary Protected Status in response to the extraordinary and temporary conditions that prevent the safe return of Belarusian citizens to their home country.”

Establish why your issue is necessary and the perspective you offer as a member of the Belarusian American community:

“As a member of _____, I interact with many Belarusian residents and visitors to the U.S. who are under credible threats of persecution and forced military conscription. Data and multiple reports indicate that everyone who is returning to Belarus from abroad is under threat of unreasonable searches of their electronic devices, of being checked for records in the databases of dissenters maintained by police, and of a subsequent arrest. Temporary Protected Status would serve to protect Belarusians supporting Ukraine and those opposing the Lukashenka regime.”

Ask your member of Congress to take action:

“I ask the SENATOR / REPRESENTATIVE to urge the Department of Homeland Security to designate Belarus for Temporary Protected Status.”

Thank the staffer:

“Thank you for your time and attention today.”