Countries under the International Spotlight for Human Rights Issues: United States Included

In a concerning development, the United States has been added to a watchlist maintained by global alliance CIVICUS due to concerns over civic liberties. This move comes as a result of "sustained attacks on civil freedoms" during President Donald Trump's second term, according to CIVICUS.

The U.S. finds itself on this watchlist due to a number of reasons. The deployment of military forces against peaceful protests has been a significant concern, with President Trump's June deployment of 700 marines and 2,000 National Guard members in response to protests sparked by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Los Angeles being a prime example.

CIVICUS also highlights the criminalization and harsh treatment of critics and protestors. The targeting and intimidation of journalists covering demonstrations has also been a contributing factor to the U.S.'s rating. The arrest and detainment of Salvadorian journalist Mario Guevara was cited as an example of this repression.

Moreover, the organization has documented an escalation of suppression against peaceful protests, including the deployment of the military against protestors, as a dangerous precedent. The case of Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist who was detained in immigration custody for three months, exemplifies the aggressive measures against immigrants and activists advocating for Palestinian rights.

Reduction in support for civil society organizations and international cooperation, as well as moves to defund and obstruct nonprofit organizations engaged in civic activism, have also been noted. CIVICUS characterizes this pattern as a "bizarre assault on fundamental freedoms and constitutional safeguards" and warns that the U.S. seems to be “sliding deeper into the quicksands of authoritarianism."

The U.S.'s current status on CIVICUS's civil liberties rating system is rated as "narrowed," meaning individuals can exercise their rights and freedoms but "violations of these rights also take place." The organization's ongoing monitoring highlights this as a serious decline in the respect for civic space and fundamental civil liberties.

President Trump has also taken legal action against media organizations and figures, including over interviews conducted with him and his 2024 Democratic opponent Kamala Harris, and the Des Moines Register over a poll released ahead of the presidential election. The President has also sued several news outlets since re-entering office, including CBS, the Wall Street Journal's parent companies, owner, and reporters, and the Des Moines Register.

CIVICUS's watchlist also highlights a "decline in civic space" in other countries such as El Salvador, Indonesia, Kenya, Serbia, and Turkey. However, the escalated suppression of civic freedoms and civil society under the current administration in the United States is a worrying trend in the country's democratic and human rights landscape.

[1] CIVICUS (2025). U.S. added to global watchlist over civic liberties concerns. Retrieved from https://www.civicus.org/news/us-added-to-global-watchlist-over-civic-liberties-concerns

[3] CIVICUS (2020). CIVICUS Report: U.S. civic space declining under Trump administration. Retrieved from https://www.civicus.org/sites/default/files/2020-07/Civicus%20Report%20US%20Civic%20Space%20Declining%20Under%20Trump%20Administration.pdf

[4] CIVICUS (2021). CIVICUS Report: Escalated suppression of civic freedoms in the U.S. Retrieved from https://www.civicus.org/sites/default/files/2021-01/Civicus%20Report%20Escalated%20Suppression%20of%20Civic%20Freedoms%20in%20the%20US.pdf

Countries under the International Spotlight for Human Rights Issues: United States Included