The National Coalition Against Censorship’s (NCAC) core mission is to support and defend free expression in service to democracy. Over the past week, actions and statements by members of the Trump administration have amounted to an abandonment of constitutional principles and an assault on both our First Amendment rights and our democracy itself.
Armed federal agents have now shot and killed two Minnesotans while they were observing ICE activity, in public, in their communities. The deaths of both Renee Good and Alex Pretti are tragedies at the hands of the state and demand a transparent investigation and accountability. The federal government’s reaction to their deaths has revealed a crisis of immense national magnitude: administration officials, attempting to justify the killings, have demonized lawful speech and suggested that First Amendment-protected activity is grounds for government use of force. In plain terms, our government is threatening state-sanctioned violence against protesters. This is a constitutional crisis.
Federal officials’ statements have repeatedly referred to the constitutionally protected activity of monitoring ICE agents engaged in their public duties as “domestic terror” and “doxxing.” Border Patrol commander Bovino has stated that there “will be consequences” for people “calling law enforcement names” or criticizing their behavior. Vice President Vance emphasized that Federal officers have “absolute immunity” for their actions.
Observing our government officials doing their public jobs is not terrorism; it is not doxxing, it is not violence. It is our established First Amendment right to hold our government accountable. It is also our civic duty as Americans. Indeed, our Bill of Rights is designed precisely to create and support this constitutional right. Our First Amendment ensures that the American people have a protected right to express political differences.
Each of these administration officials has sworn an oath to uphold our Constitution, including its First Amendment. And each of these officials has brazenly violated this oath in the past week by lying about our free speech rights. This is not just the abdication of their duties as government officials, but an active attempt to intimidate people out of exercising their constitutionally-protected freedoms.
We condemn government officials’ lies about, and abuses of, our constitutional rights. We call on every government official to honor their oath to our Constitution, and to refuse orders that strip the American people of their liberty. Doing otherwise is un-American, unconstitutional, and treasonous.
Fortunately, we are not without true constitutional heroes at this perilous moment. Every person who has refused to be silenced despite this government’s campaign of intimidation is embodying the true spirit of American liberty. Free expression is a human right, and it is our constitutional inheritance as residents of the United States of America. The NCAC commends every patriot who speaks their truth to government power, precisely as our First Amendment invites and protects.