Corrupted policy through power grabs
Safety isn’t the goal,
control is
Crime is being used as a smokescreen. From gutting safety-net programs to expanding detention, militarizing cities, and overriding local control, these moves share one goal and it’s not safety—it’s consolidating power
The Pattern
Why power grabs undermine public safety
Real safety comes from prevention, care, and accountability. But instead of investing in what works, leaders are escalating punishment, surveillance, and federal control—choices that increase harm, destabilize communities, and erode democracy.
Top arguments & evidence
How we know it’s about power, not safety
01
95%
of people ICE has detained have no violent convictions
ICE is using a $170+ billion slush fund to illegally detain thousands of immigrants money that could go to actual public health and safety measures.
02
2150%
increase of people without criminal records being detained
The fastest-growing group in ICE detention are people with no criminal record at all, showing enforcement is about control—not public safety.
03
$1.1 Billion
spent on invading cities across the country
The projected costs in 2026 of continued military-style invasion of cities opposed to the Administration under the baseless pretext of “crime” and “chaos.”
How it works
What the power grabs look like
Across policies and agencies, fear is used to justify expanding punishment and federal authority. The result is less care, fewer rights, and more harm—especially for communities already facing the greatest risks.
Join the coalition
// ICE & CBP
Terror as policy
Mass detention and deportation target people with no criminal records, divert law enforcement resources, and terrorize families—without improving safety.
// Invasion of cities
Militarizing public life
National Guard deployments and federal takeovers normalize military force in civilian spaces while stripping local leaders and residents of control.
// Bail
Jailing people for being poor
Wealth-based detention locks up low-income people while allowing the wealthy to buy freedom—despite evidence it does not reduce crime.
// DC Takeover
Overriding local democracy
Congressional bills would strip D.C. residents of the power to elect prosecutors, choose judges, and set their own public safety policies.
Our response
What are we doing about it
We expose how power grabs masquerade as public safety—and uplift evidence-based solutions that actually reduce harm: prevention, care, accountability, and community investment.
Get informed
Download our issue explainers
Clear, source-backed one-pagersl to push back on fear-based narratives and demand policies that truly keep people safe.
In the news
Reporting on power, punishment, and harm
Coverage from national and local outlets and policy analysis from our allies and partners documenting how expanded detention, federal overreach, and punitive policies are making communities less safe.
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