The United States in early March was added to the CIVICUS Monitor Human Rights Watchlist. CIVICUS is a global research organization that studies and publishes the status of freedoms and threats to civil liberties in various countries around the world each year. CIVICUS has pointed to Trump’s erratic use of executive orders, mass firings of federal workers, dismantling of foreign aid programs, antagonism of journalists and efforts to tamp down pro-Palestinian protests as just some of the reasons for the change in the United States status.

On February 25, 2025 President Donald Trump signed an executive order suspending the security clearances of lawyers and staff at the Washington, D.C. law office of the international law firm Covington & Burling. The firm had provided legal services to former Special Prosecutor Jack Smith.

Science is ever-evolving. When new information comes out, it is protocol to test it rigorously and check every assumption along the way. But what happens when the public takes a single new data point as gospel?

40% of the U.S. population line our coasts. That equates to approximately 130 million people residing in coastal counties. In addition to those who retire seaside, entire economies are integrated into the coastal industries of fishing, tourism, energy, shipbuilding, and recreation. Even a cursory glance using google maps shows how tightly clustered the built space is, all on only 10% of the total U.S. land mass. Shoreline communities have five times the population density as compared to the U.S. average.

This is the second of two briefs examining Elon Musk’s extensive role in government and politics, including his actions under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and his close ties to the Trump administration. Recent reports indicate that Musk had used his personal wealth to finance President Donald Trump’s campaigns while also threatening to fund challengers against those who fail to support Trump’s platform. Critics question whether this practice makes politicians indebted to Musk, an arrangement some regard as an extreme extension of the Citizens United ruling on campaign contributions.

Elon Musk, born on June 28, 1971, in Pretoria, South Africa, has become a central figure in technology, business, and politics. As the founder and CEO of companies such as Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI, Musk has significantly influenced sectors ranging from electric vehicles to space exploration and artificial intelligence.

As we enter the second month of Donald Trump’s return to office, his stance on immigration remains as hardline as ever—if not more extreme. He has ramped up his rhetoric against so-called “criminals,” but communities across the country are feeling the tangible effects of his deportation policies. Friends, neighbors, workers, and community members are being forcibly removed, leaving behind fractured families and economic instability.

Our United States of America stands as a beacon of unity, prosperity and shared purpose in the pursuit of a better life. Here, diversity is accepted and celebrated as our greatest strength. Americans, regardless of background, work together to build a future where all can thrive, knowing that individual success is tied into the well-being of the entire community.