The Collapse of American Human Rights Practices
HRMI said eight of nine civil and political rights worsened, with the steepest drops tied to detention practices, protest crackdowns and at least 123 deaths in U.S. airstrikes.
- New data from the Human Rights Measurement Initiative shows that United States civil and political rights practices deteriorated significantly in 2025, with the country worsening on eight of nine measured rights.
- Human rights experts attributed the decline to expanded use of incommunicado detention and warrantless arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, while airstrikes in the Pacific and Caribbean caused at least 123 deaths in 2025.
- From 2003 through 2021, the United States consistently ranked as the worst or second-worst among high-income OECD member states, including the United Kingdom, Japan, and New Zealand.
- Contrasting with the data, President Donald Trump marked the nation's 250th anniversary this year by calling the country "the home of freedom" and stating, "We're doing better now than we've ever done before."
- While 2026 data remains incomplete, early indicators suggest ongoing challenges, with experts citing continued abuses by ICE, killings in international waters, and allegations the government is using powers to punish critics.
50 Articles
50 Articles
The Collapse of American Human Rights Practices
The U.S. lags behind most other high-income democracies in human rights practices. The U.S.’s poor performance spans civil and political rights, such as the right to be free from torture and the right to political participation, as well as economic and social rights, including the rights to health and food. The post The Collapse of American Human Rights Practices appeared first on FlaglerLive.
The Conversation
The United States’ human rights practices are taking a nosedive
Police detain a man during a June 2025 protest in Paramount, Calif., where federal immigration authorities had conducted operations. AP Photo/Eric ThayerIn the lead-up to the 2026 midterm elections, how is the U.S. government performing in terms of human rights? Listening to politicians, it can be difficult to know. On one hand, some have pointed to a number of potential human rights abuses committed by the U.S. government inside and outside its…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 61% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
