WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) announced today policy recommendations—grounded in our ongoing work and sustained engagement with Trump Administration officials and Members of Congress—to support the Iranian people as they continue nationwide protests for democratic freedoms and fundamental human rights.
The demonstrations, which began in December 2025, have grown into one of the largest expressions of public dissent in three years, since the murder of Mahsa Amini. The Islamic Republic has responded to peaceful protests with violence, mass detentions, and sweeping internet shutdowns designed to silence protesters and block the regime’s abuses from global scrutiny.
Millions of Iranians are risking their lives to demand a better future. The United States has a clear opportunity to stand with the people of Iran by expanding access to uncensored information and holding human rights violators accountable. The Trump Administration and Congress should act now with concrete, bipartisan steps that help Iranians communicate securely, document abuses, and sustain their calls for freedom.
PAAIA recommends the following actions:
- Expand Trump Administration support for satellite and direct‑to‑device connectivity by partnering with more private‑sector providers to accelerate services that are harder for the regime to block, throttle, or disrupt;
- Pass the FREEDOM Act in Congress to evaluate emerging technologies – including direct‑to‑cell satellite communications – that can help keep Iranians connected during regime-imposed internet shutdowns;
- Broaden sanctions exemptions to ensure U.S. technology companies can provide secure communication tools to the Iranian people;
- Appropriate by Congress additional funds for circumvention tools and VPNs authorized under Section 5124 of the FY2025 NDAA to expand access to secure, uncensored information;
- Support an important bipartisan congressional resolution led by Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D‑AZ), introduced alongside Reps. Stephanie Bice (R‑OK), Jim Himes (D-CT), Virginia Foxx (R‑NC), Deborah Ross (D-NC), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) affirming solidarity with Iranian protesters and condemning regime repression; and
- Enforcement by the Administration of the MAHSA Act and other human rights sanctions against Islamic Republic authorities responsible for violence and repression.
These measures are practical, bipartisan, and urgently needed. PAAIA will continue working with Administration officials, lawmakers, coalition partners, and the Iranian American community to ensure Iranian American voices are heard and that U.S. policy matches the urgency of this moment.
