Human Rights Watch Warns U.S. Shifting Toward Authoritarianism

International human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) has raised concerns that the United States is moving toward authoritarian governance. In its latest annual report, the group highlighted a sharp deterioration in human rights conditions following President Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

The report cites increased abuses by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, noting that armed and masked agents carried out hundreds of aggressive operations, which HRW described as unprecedented for the U.S. The organization also pointed to political retaliation, misuse of executive power, and deployment of the National Guard as examples of actions undermining democratic checks and balances.

HRW additionally accused the U.S. government of involvement in forced disappearances. The report referenced the transfer of 252 Venezuelan migrants to prisons in El Salvador, where they reportedly faced abuse, including physical assault and sexual violence, before eventually being allowed entry into Venezuela.

Globally, HRW warned that democracy is at a historic low, comparable to 1985, when the Soviet Union was still in existence. The organization emphasized that citizens in Russia and China now enjoy fewer freedoms than they did two decades ago, and similar trends are visible in the United States.

HRW Executive Director Philip Bolopion urged democratic nations to unite in defending human rights and international law. “It is critical for countries that respect democracy and human rights to form alliances to counter leaders like Trump, who disregard these principles,” he said.

The report also criticized human rights violations in El Salvador and accused Israel of committing war crimes and acts of ethnic violence in Gaza during 2025, including killings, forced evictions, and denying access to food. Both Israel and the U.S. have rejected these allegations.