Departments

Rights and Justice

Rights and Justice works to combat systemic inequality through policies ensuring that everyone can exercise their rights and has an equal opportunity to thrive.

A protester holds up placards during a demonstration, June 2020. (Getty/Maranie R Staab/AFP)

What We're Doing

Closing the racial wealth gap

The racial wealth gap between white households and Black and brown households continues to grow wider. CAP is pursuing targeted policies that are necessary to reverse this deepening divide. A recent issue brief highlights the pandemic’s impact on the Black-white wealth gap.

Creating a pathway to citizenship

CAP is fighting for a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, Deferred Enforced Departure (DED)-eligible individuals, and essential workers. Citizenship for undocumented immigrants is a crucial step toward a fair, humane, and workable immigration system.

Reducing overreliance on police

In October 2020, CAP partnered with the Law Enforcement Action Partnership on a report detailing the need to reduce reliance on law enforcement for all calls for service and instead create civilian community responder programs to respond to many categories of calls.

Advancing LGBTQ equality

In January, CAP published a report providing recommendations for how the Biden-Harris administration could advance LGBTQ equality. The report has since informed dozens of actions from the White House, including a day 1 executive order implementing protections for LGBTQ workers.

InProgress is a weekly newsletter that keeps you up to date on key policies and empowers you to advocate for change.

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Recent work

Latest

Compact View

Fact Sheet: Expanding the Public Safety Workforce Fact Sheet
Social workers provide a man experiencing homelessness with resources in a local park in Bismarck, North Dakota.

Fact Sheet: Expanding the Public Safety Workforce

Cities across the country are investing in safety by incorporating specially trained professionals such as community responders and community violence intervention professionals into their local public safety workforces.

Allie Preston, Rachael Eisenberg, Kirby Gaherty

Expanding the Public Safety Workforce Report
Three people speaking, with two standing outside van and one sitting inside.

Expanding the Public Safety Workforce

Cities across the country are exploring innovative ways to incorporate new professionals, such as community responders and community violence intervention professionals, into their existing public safety workforces to improve outcomes for communities.

Allie Preston, Rachael Eisenberg, Kirby Gaherty

The Highest Rates of Gun Homicides Are in Rural Counties Fact Sheet
An AR-15 semi-automatic rifle is held in front of a U.S. flag.

The Highest Rates of Gun Homicides Are in Rural Counties

Despite media attention on gun violence in large American cities, new analysis of CDC data shows that rural counties persistently have some of the highest rates of gun violence in the country.

Chandler Hall

Congressional Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act Creates an Unaccountable Slush Fund for the Trump Administration’s Deportation Force Report
ICE officers patrol the halls of an immigration court building.

Congressional Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act Creates an Unaccountable Slush Fund for the Trump Administration’s Deportation Force

The OBBBA pumps $75 billion into ICE with no guardrails, supercharging the Trump administration’s massive, indiscriminate deportation agenda that is operating without accountability and threatening local communities and economies.

Fixing the Immigration System to Strengthen the United States Past Event

Fixing the Immigration System to Strengthen the United States

Join CAP for a timely conversation with Reps. Veronica Escobar (D-TX), Tom Suozzi (D-NY), Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM) and CAP President and CEO Neera Tanden on solutions to actually fix our immigration system and strengthen border security.

Center for American Progress (1333 H St. NW Washington DC 20005) & Online

Bipartisan Momentum Is Growing for Automatic Record Sealing Through the Clean Slate and Fresh Start Acts Article
The Capitol Building at sunset

Bipartisan Momentum Is Growing for Automatic Record Sealing Through the Clean Slate and Fresh Start Acts

Even after serving their time, millions of Americans carry an arrest or conviction record that makes it hard for them to access a second chance to rebuild their lives. Congress should pass automatic record-sealing legislation to unlock second chances, boost economic mobility, and improve public safety.

Akua Amaning

Hope After Harm: Reimagining Victim Compensation Past Event

Hope After Harm: Reimagining Victim Compensation

Join the Center for American Progress for an event discussing CAP and Common Justice‘s partnered launch of the "State Victim Compensation Statute Rubric."

Center for American Progress Online

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