Civicus Downgrades US Civic Space To 'Obstructed' After Year Of Restrictive Actions

A global coalition of civil society organisations, led by Civicus, has downgraded the United States’ civic space rating from “narrowed” to “obstructed.” The move appears in a report published on Tuesday that cites a marked decline in civic freedoms following a year of sweeping executive actions, new laws and intensified crackdowns on dissent.

About the assessment

Civicus, the non-profit that tracks civic freedoms across 198 countries, assigns each nation to one of five categories: Open, Narrowed, Obstructed, Repressed and Closed. An “obstructed” ranking indicates that civil society continues to operate but is frequently undermined by state actions such as illegal surveillance, bureaucratic harassment and denigrating public statements.

“Citizens can organise and assemble peacefully but they are vulnerable to frequent use of excessive force by law enforcement agencies, including rubber bullets, tear gas and baton charges,” Civicus said.

Key Concerns Cited

Militarised responses to protests: The report highlights deployments of the National Guard to Los Angeles and other cities and documents heavy-handed tactics used against demonstrators.

Broad use of immigration enforcement: Civicus notes widespread use of ICE agents at public gatherings and within immigrant communities, creating a chilling effect on participation.

Campus restrictions: The group flagged increasing limits on free expression on university campuses, particularly targeting Palestinian solidarity activism. It documented suspensions of student groups and investigations launched under broad allegations of “material support for terrorism,” with foreign-born students and faculty disproportionately affected by disciplinary measures and visa-related pressures.

Pressure on media freedom: Civicus warned that journalists and independent outlets face mounting risks, pointing to Federal Communications Commission threats to revoke broadcast licenses, multiple lawsuits filed by former President Donald Trump against media companies, cuts to public-broadcaster funding (including NPR and PBS), and the launch of the White House Wire — an administration-run news site promoting favourable coverage.

“These actions, combined with efforts to sideline critical outlets from core government functions and foreign travel, reflect a systematic attempt to dominate the media landscape and silence independent journalism,” the report said.

Reaction and Context

Mandeep Tiwana, Civicus’s secretary general, described the downgrade as evidence of alarming backsliding on the rule of law and fundamental freedoms in the United States. He called on policymakers to reverse course ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary, urging protection of the civic rights enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

With this reclassification, the US joins 39 other countries rated “obstructed” this year, including Hungary, Brazil and South Africa.

What this means: Civicus’s assessment does not mean civic life has ended in the United States, but it signals that civic actors—journalists, students, activists and community organisations—face a growing range of legal, administrative and coercive pressures that constrain participation, debate and dissent.