Overview
- Released Jan. 20, the report catalogs erosion across press freedom, protest rights, the courts, migrant protections, surveillance, and anti-discrimination safeguards, and flags the November 2026 midterms as a key test of democratic resilience.
- The White House dismissed the findings as partisan, with spokeswoman Abigail Jackson calling the report "left-wing nonsense" and asserting the country is secure and thriving.
- Amnesty highlights domestic militarization, including Trump federalizing the National Guard for Los Angeles and a subsequent deployment of 300 Marines to curb protests, which it says is inappropriate for law enforcement.
- Press restrictions cited include the removal of Associated Press White House credentials—later restored by the courts—and Defense Department press pass removals under restrictive publication policies.
- Immigration practices under scrutiny include third‑country transfers to El Salvador’s CECOT prison with survivor accounts of abuse and the fatal shooting of Minneapolis resident Renee Nicole Good by a federal immigration agent, which Amnesty says warrants an independent investigation.