U.S. Human Rights Under Scrutiny One Year After Trump’s Return to the White House.

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One year after Donald Trump returned to the U.S. presidency in January 2025, international rights groups warn that freedoms long considered foundational are under mounting pressure. According to a major new report from Amnesty International, the Trump administration’s policies and practices are contributing to what the organization describes as an “erosion of human rights” across multiple areas of civic life and governance. 

The report, titled Ringing the Alarm Bells: Rising Authoritarian Practices and Erosion of Human Rights in the United States, outlines twelve key areas in which democratic principles are under strain. These include freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, press freedom, access to justice, judicial independence, due process rights, and protections for migrants and refugees. Amnesty states that the measures affecting these areas do not operate independently but reinforce one another, resulting in a systematic narrowing of civic space.

Paul O’Brien, Executive Director of Amnesty International USA, stated that “a dangerous trajectory under President Trump … has already led to a human rights emergency”, warning that the concentration of executive power and the breakdown of traditional norms are increasing risks for journalists, protesters, lawyers, students, and rights defenders. Among the developments highlighted in the report are the expanded use of militarized law enforcement in civilian contexts, broader surveillance powers with limited oversight, and legal actions targeting dissent. Amnesty also documents intensified immigration enforcement practices and forceful responses to protests, arguing that these measures contribute to a climate of intimidation and deterrence.

Other international organizations echo concerns raised by Amnesty: Human Rights Watch, in its World Report 2026, describes the United States as experiencing pervasive attacks on rights and freedoms, including the weakening of anti-discrimination protections, pressure on civil society groups, and policies that undermine accountability mechanisms.

Human Rights Watch situates these developments within a broader global pattern of democratic backsliding, noting similarities with trends observed in other countries where executive authorities have consolidated power at the expense of checks and balances. The reports also draw attention to voting rights and political participation. Analysts have warned that changes to electoral rules and voting access could disproportionately affect certain groups of voters, with potential implications for the inclusiveness and integrity of future elections.

At the international level, Amnesty highlights a reduced engagement by the United States with multilateral human rights mechanisms, including United Nations processes. Observers note that this shift may weaken global human rights oversight and relieve international pressure to uphold democratic standards.

Immigration policies have also been a flashpoint. Reports indicate that detention conditions in U.S. immigrant detention facilities have worsened and that enforcement actions, including the use of outdated statutes to deport foreign nationals,  have raised human rights concerns.

The ongoing debate over civic freedoms comes amid broader debates about the role of executive power and the balance between national security and civil liberties. Some legal scholars and civil rights advocates have expressed concern that recent executive orders and administrative actions pose challenges to First Amendment protections for speech, academic freedom, and other fundamental rights. Taken together, the findings presented by human rights organizations point to a broader political direction rather than isolated policy decisions. Amnesty International cautions that if these trends persist, they could have long-term consequences for the protection of fundamental rights and the functioning of democratic institutions in the United States.

written by Megi Likmeta