The Trump Administration’s decision to cancel funding for the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab — a team that has been instrumental in tracking and facilitating the return of Ukraine’s abducted children — will have far-reaching and potentially devastating consequences.
At least 19,564 documented Ukrainian children have been abducted by Russia in its ongoing war to eradicate Ukraine.
The Yale Humanitarian Research Lab has been collecting data on these children through open-source analysis, sharing its findings with Ukrainian authorities to help locate and recover hundreds of them. Now, with its funding cut, thousands of abducted Ukrainian children may never be reunited with their families.
On March 18, 2025, major media outlets reported that vast amounts of critical data collected over the past three years may have been permanently deleted — erasing progress in locating abducted children and holding those responsible accountable.
Take Action To Restore Funding for Return of Ukraine’s Children
1: Call Your Elected Official
We urge you to contact your one House representative, two Senators*, and the White House (202-456-1111, comments@whitehouse.gov) regularly to demand that:
✅ Funding for the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab is reinstated.
✅ Other similar projects continue to receive full funding until all abducted Ukrainian children are returned home.
Sample Message for your outreach:
Dear [Representative/Senator’s Name],
My name is [Your Name], and I am your constituent from [Your District]. My zip code is [Your Zip Code].
I am appalled by the decision to cancel funding for the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab. This team has been instrumental in tracking and recovering hundreds of Ukrainian children abducted by Russian authorities.
By cutting funding to this and similar initiatives and deleting critical data, the U.S. is abandoning thousands of Ukrainian children who remain in Russian captivity, risking that they may never return home to their families.
I urge you to demand the immediate reinstatement of funding for the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab and ensure that similar initiatives continue until all abducted Ukrainian children are safely returned home.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
22: Write Letter To The Editor
Op-Eds and Letters to the Editor (LTEs) can be one of the most effective, and cost-efficient ways to educate citizens and influence public officials. The opinion page continues to be one of the most read sections of a newspaper, and its articles are tracked by politicians, companies, and organizations as a way to monitor public opinions.
As we continue to engage American’s around the issue of Ukraine’s stolen children, Op-Eds & LTEs give us a unique opportunity to highlight aspects that may have been overlooked.
We’ve put together a kit with instructions, possible subjects, and list of publications to help you expedite the process.
