Are our communities being surveilled?
The U.S. government has a long history of unwarranted and invasive spying.
Although this domestic surveillance impacts everyone in the country, it disproportionately targets communities of color, immigrants and activists. From COINTELPRO in the 1960s to xenophobic policies instituted after 9/11 to the FBI’s efforts to categorize Black Lives Matter activists as a terrorist threat, the government has long skirted constitutional protections to crack down on perceived dangers.
Under the second Trump administration, these threats have accelerated. The Department of Homeland Security has expanded its sprawling, invasive web of surveillance. This has broadened DHS’ capacity to track, target and terrorize communities.
The adoption of new law-enforcement tools at the federal, state and local levels has exacerbated racially biased policing. Technologies are used to monitor not only criminal activities but also First Amendment-protected activities like political organizing.
