Human Rights First Condemns Rights-Violating Executive Orders

Washington, D.C. – This week, the Trump administration announced its policy priorities and agenda in a series of cruel, brazenly overreaching executive orders that recklessly disregard human rights and the rule of law. The Trump team’s pardoning of violent extremists, dismantling of protections for LGBTQI+ people, and plans to misuse the military and terrorize immigrants, demonstrate a shocking willingness to assert unfettered power at the expense of justice, equality, and dignity. For nearly five decades, Human Rights First has stood against such abuses of authority, whether perpetrated by foreign governments or our own, and we remain resolute in our commitment to stand up for human rights in the face of this unprecedented onslaught.

The following is a statement from President and CEO Sue Hendrickson.

The Trump administration’s executive orders constitute a direct affront to the basic human rights protections that the United States has pledged to uphold.  These laws and norms are not mere abstractions; they exist to protect individuals in exactly the case we see today – an administration intent on consolidating power, eroding accountability, stifling dissent, and undermining the freedoms and dignity to which all people are equally entitled.

The United States is not under invasion; immigration policy should not be grounded in the patently false assertion that it is. The Trump administration’s executive orders related to asylum and the Southern border, militarization of immigration enforcement, and threats against state and local officials who fail to comply with draconian new policies are all hallmarks of a regime seeking to bypass democratic processes and stifle dissent. The Trump administration’s approach to asylum, refugees, and border policy reflects not strength, but fear — fear of the values that underpin our democracy: inclusivity, fairness, and the rule of law.

The pardon of the January 6th perpetrators – individuals who attacked law enforcement and the very foundations of our democracy – sends a chilling message: accountability is contingent on political allegiance. In a nation governed by laws, such impunity is unconscionable. It undermines public trust and emboldens further lawlessness. Punishment for crime should not depend on the political leanings of the perpetrator.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights makes unequivocally clear that all people are equal in dignity and rights. Under cover of its anti-DEI crusade, the Trump administration ended rules dating from the Johnson administration that prevent federal contractors from discriminating based on race, color, religion, national origin and sex.  Its “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity” memo attempts to do the opposite of what its title states. Furthermore, the executive orders make painfully clear that the Trump administration is intent on not allowing LGBTQI+ individuals the freedom to live their lives–and will undermine their safety in its mission to impose rigid gender norms. Women don’t need to be “defended from gender ideology;” fundamental human rights – for everyone – need to be defended.

Furthermore, the Trump administration’s attacks on international accountability mechanisms and bodies are not only misguided, they are dangerous. Revoking sanctions on human rights abusers, banning refugees, and defunding efforts to promote democracy ultimately betray not only America’s moral commitments but also its strategic interests. These actions do not make the United States stronger – they make the world less secure and diminish our leadership on the global stage.

The unconstitutional attack on birthright citizenship is a blatant and dangerous example of the administration’s disdain for the limits on executive power. Americans’ citizenship is governed by the 14th Amendment, and the President’s attempt to override this constitutional guarantee through executive fiat is not only legally indefensible but an affront to America’s constitutional order. The chaos and uncertainty such a policy would unleash cannot be overstated; millions of Americans would suddenly find their citizenship status questioned.

Human rights are not optional — they are the bedrock of freedom, justice, and peace.  At Human Rights First, we will continue to demand that the U.S. government live up to its obligations to protect and defend those rights and pursue accountability when it does not. The rights of the vulnerable, the marginalized, and the oppressed must not be sacrificed to the whims of power. As we have for nearly half a century, we will stand firm against efforts to undermine human rights and democracy.