DMW Briefs
Ice-Domestic Militarization Watch Briefs and Memorandums
This section features a series of concise, issue-focused briefs that unpack core themes driving domestic militarization across the United States. Each brief distills complex topics—such as policing tactics, surveillance tools, federal-local collaboration, or military equipment transfers—into accessible analysis grounded in research and documented evidence. Designed to provide context, clarify key concepts, and highlight emerging trends, these briefs offer readers a clear starting point for understanding the forces shaping militarized practices in everyday governance.
Briefs
The Scale and Scope of Domestic Militarization in the United States
Domestic militarization in the United States has expanded to unprecedented levels through three major, interconnected pathways: the Department of Defense’s 1033 Program, which has transferred $7.6 billion in military equipment to more than 8,200 law enforcement agencies; the rapid expansion of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), now funded at historic levels through 2029; and increased National Guard deployments for domestic missions such as border operations and urban policing. Together, these mechanisms reflect a fundamental shift in how military resources, personnel, and tactics are embedded in civilian contexts, reshaping community safety, employment patterns, and democratic accountability while outpacing traditional investments in policing training and workforce development.
Memorandums
1033 Weapons Program and Civil Liberties Implications
The memorandum outlines the history and scope of the DoD’s 1033 Program, which has transferred $7.6 billion in excess military equipment to over 6,300 law enforcement agencies, often with limited transparency and oversight. It highlights longstanding concerns about inadequate reporting, weak verification of training and misuse, and inconsistent implementation of recent executive orders intended to curb militarization. The article connects 1033 equipment to high-profile protest responses and policing actions, arguing that militarized policing disproportionately harms communities of color and infringes on civil liberties. It concludes that despite claims of improved public safety, available data shows no clear link between 1033 transfers and reduced crime. Download the full memorandum to explore the history, oversight gaps, and civil liberties implications in greater detail.
Surveillance and Domestic Militarization
The memorandum examines how the war on terrorism has driven the militarization of domestic intelligence, blurring the line between military and civilian policing and eroding civil liberties. It details three core trends—expanded military data collection on Americans, extensive information sharing with law enforcement, and the adoption of military intelligence tactics by police—often with minimal oversight. The article highlights the role of emerging technologies such as facial recognition, drones, predictive policing, and AI-powered CCTV in enabling mass surveillance and profiling. Together, these practices are shown to disproportionately impact minorities and political dissidents, weaken constitutional protections, and move the U.S. closer to a normalized surveillance state. Download the full report to read the complete analysis and detailed examples.