Civil Liberties

Highlights:

A banner featuring US President Donald Trump hangs on the outside of the Department of Justice headquarters ahead of a press conference with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announcing annual healthcare fraud takedown results in Washington, DC on June 23, 2026.

Trust, But Verify: Three Grand Jury Reforms to Hold the Government Accountable

Steps should be taken to strengthen grand juries by giving courts and defense counsel more tools to act as a much-needed check on prosecutors.
This photograph shows a handheld smartphone displaying the icons of some of the main artificial intelligence based apps, including LLMs, chatbots and generative AI, with logos (from L) of Proton AG's Lumo, Meta AI, Mistral Vibe (formerly Le Chat), xAI's Grok, Microsoft's Copilot, Google's Gemini, Anthropic's Claude, Perplexity, Deepseek, OpenAI's Chat GPT, Google's Notebook LLM and generative AI music app Suno, in Saint-Mande, east of Paris, on July 15, 2026.

AI and the Commercial Data Loophole

The Pentagon’s new deals to deploy commercial LLMs on its classified networks provide it with a powerful surveillance capability that could be turned on Americans.
The first order of the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, issued by its Chief Judge Joan Ericksen, on July 16, 2026.

The Alien Terrorist Removal Court’s First Case

Unpacking the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, what we know about its first case, and what to watch for going forward.
A masked federal agent dressed in a tan, long-sleeved shirt, dark pants and a dark bullet-proof vest walks through a hallway in front of a wall covered with what appears to be a long blackboard with the words "Immigration Court" in large capital letters across the top and miscellaneous notices posted on the board below.

Key Trump Deportation Strategies: Removing, Replacing, and Pressuring Immigration Judges

New data shows how mass firings, loyalist replacements, and pressure tactics are turning U.S. immigration courts into a deportation enforcement arm.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stands before an American Flag backdrop.

The Dangers of Florida’s New “Terrorist” Designations

Anyone who cares about the First Amendment should be concerned about HB 1471 and the spread of state-level terrorism designation laws.
Several people wearing various colors of t-shirts, including bright orange or black, stand with signs at the base of tall columns, the photo shot from below, with banners between the columns behind them reading "Jimmy Kimmel Live"

How Defending Free Speech Can Unite Unlikely Allies

The Trump administration's threats to First Amendment rights have inspired a broad front defending free speech, freedom of the press, protest rights and more.
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This aerial view shows the San Bernardo neighborhood, a critical, high-risk zone known for micro-trafficking, insecurity, and social conflict in downtown Bogota on March 26, 2026. Colombian police use an artificial intelligence tool to predict crime hotspots in real time and create security plans based on large amounts of geographic data.

Beyond the Battlefield: Governing Civilian AI in Post-Conflict Settings

In post-conflict settings undergoing digital transformation, the governance of civilian AI systems is a key condition for sustaining peace.

Fencing with Fourth Amendment: Unpacking the Supreme Court’s Chatrie Decision

Chatrie stands as an important but narrow reaffirmation of the Supreme Court’s determination not to let technology overwhelm all privacy expectations in the digital age.
Secretary-General António Guterres stands at a podium on a dias, with screens flanking him also showing his address before an arc of desks and chairs in a soaring U.N. chamber.

Will States Address Disability Invisibility in the Crimes Against Humanity Convention?

Only two of 64 proposed amendments submitted by U.N. member States for a draft Crimes Against Humanity Convention enumerate disability as a specific protected category.
3 burgundy color passports of the Russian Federation lie on a table, the covers facing the camera. A hand with rings on the ring and little fingers with bracelets on the arm reaches for the passport on the left.

Where Did All These Passports Come From? Russia’s Manipulation of Citizenship as Hybrid Warfare in Ukraine

Russia’s "passportization" campaign in occupied Ukraine demonstrates how citizenship policy can be manipulated as a modern instrument of hybrid warfare.
A man walks in front of the Supreme Court building at dusk.

Seeking Justice the Day After SCOTUS Killed the Alien Tort Statute

As surely as day follows night, survivors will continue their quest for justice and accountability. The Supreme Court’s decision marks the end of an era, but a new dawn awaits.
The Declaration on Independence as seen on aging paper.

Reflections from Today’s Judiciary on the Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence

Many actions taken by the current administration echo the grievances laid out in the Declaration of Independence against King George III.
A police officer in a dark blue uniform, his back to the camera, wears a bulletproof vest reading INTERPOL, as he walks through an airy hall with light-colored flooring, a few white counters and a large green plant at the left of the image.

Why Interpol’s Member Nations Should Reject Its New Privileges and Immunities Agreement

The accord would make it easier for autocrats to abuse Interpol’s famous Red Notices and other mechanisms to persecute those seeking refuge abroad from repression at home.
Journalists line up with cameras on tripods in the foreground, facing an armored vehicle in the distance at the other end of what looks like a cement-paved alley.

As Governments Silence Critics During War, Writers Are Among the First to Pay the Price

Crackdowns on writers, culture, and free expression during war emerged as a key trend in PEN America's 2025 data for the latest annual Freedom to Write Index.
Members of the U.S. Colored Troops and Buffalo Soldiers — living historians and reenactors — stand in silhouette against a blue sky, rifles at their sides, as one figure carries a period American flag bearing the text "54th Regiment," before marching in the Juneteenth People's Parade in Washington, DC.

Jubilee Deferred: What Juneteenth Demands of America at 250

Juneteenth commemorates emancipation. Jubilee demands something more: a society in which access, opportunity and economic and political power are secure rather than contingent.
People attend a Trans Day of Visibility rally in Washington, DC, on March 31, 2025.

The Collateral Damage of Anti-Trans Policymaking

From healthcare bans to funding cuts, the consequences of hate-driven policymaking opposing transgender rights ripple broadly across communities.

Making Syria’s Transitional Justice Process Meaningful for Survivors and Communities

One of the central questions facing Syria is whether its emerging justice system can earn the trust of those in whose name it is being built.
Senegalese peacekeepers of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) patrol near Carnot on May 28, 2026.

US-Central African Republic Deportation Agreement Escalates Attack on Immigrants and Puts Lives at Risk

Congress should demand transparency and require the U.S. government to publicly release third-country deportation agreements, including with the Central African Republic. 
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