By Basim Elkarra
Executive Director, CAIR Action
Five years ago, the murder of George Floyd shook the conscience of a nation. His final words — “I can’t breathe” — became a rallying cry for justice and a symbol of the inequality and abuse that too many Americans still endure. In response, millions across the country demanded change. And for a time, real progress was made — communities began rethinking policing, and policies were introduced to rebuild public trust and ensure accountability.
Today, those reforms are now at risk.
Last week, the Department of Justice announced it would withdraw from several post-Floyd police reform agreements — known as consent decrees — designed to address patterns of unconstitutional policing and excessive force. These legal agreements were vital tools for transparency and change. Their reversal sends a chilling message: that our government is retreating from accountability at a time when we need it most.
Police brutality is not a relic of the past — it is a daily reality, especially for Black, brown, Muslim, and immigrant communities. In 2024 alone, police killed over 1,200 people in the United States. From Minneapolis to Ferguson, from Sacramento to New York — and now even on college campuses where peaceful Palestinian supporters face violent crackdowns — we continue to see unchecked abuse of power. The same militarized tactics and dehumanizing rhetoric are used against different communities, revealing a deeper truth: the system isn’t broken. It’s functioning exactly as it was designed.
This moment demands courage — from elected officials, from civil society, and from every one of us who believes in justice. George Floyd’s death should have marked a turning point. Instead, five years later, we’re fighting to hold the line.
At CAIR Action, we believe police accountability is not a partisan issue. It’s about fairness, safety, and justice for all. We call on local and state officials to continue the work the federal government is walking away from. That means establishing independent oversight bodies, banning chokeholds and no-knock warrants, demilitarizing the police, investing in alternatives to armed response, and ensuring community oversight.
Don’t let the movement be erased. We owe it to George Floyd. We owe it to the countless others who never made the headlines. And we owe it to the next generation, who deserve a country where accountability and justice are not the exception — but the norm.
