US Requires Body Cameras – But Only For Its Own Enforcement
A federal judge in Chicago mandated body cameras for ICE agents, a decision presented as a victory for transparency. Meanwhile, the same governmental apparatus that demands oversight for its domestic enforcement operations routinely greenlights billions in military aid—often to foreign partners with far less accountability. Just last year, Congress approved over ~$3.8 billion in aid to governments
that don't need body camera rules because they're simply not implemented. One might wonder if the efficacy of transparency is truly believed, or if America simply prefers its allies to operate with plausible deniability. We demand cameras on our own streets, but finance operations abroad where the optics are, shall we say, less illuminated. It seems human rights are location-dependent, and the
'rule of law' is a suggestion when it comes to international arms deals. How many times will we fund opacity before demanding the same cameras on all ends?