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WASHINGTON, January 27, 2026 15:45:00
Activists Warned Against ‘Copaganda’ as Debate Over ICE Intensifies
Table of Contents
Experts caution against reforms that appear progressive but ultimately fail to diminish teh power of law enforcement agencies.
- As calls to defund and abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) gain momentum, a warning has emerged about the dangers of accepting superficial reforms.
- Author Alec Karakatsanis argues that “copaganda” – narratives designed to support law enforcement – can co-opt outrage into support for ineffective measures.
- Despite media narratives, police-tracked crime rates have actually decreased in recent years, according to Karakatsanis.
- Fearmongering in mainstream media is seen as a tactic to bolster support for institutions that expand control and limit liberty.
As discussions surrounding the future of ICE escalate, author Alec Karakatsanis cautions activists against falling prey to “copaganda,” defined as narratives that transform public outrage into support for superficial reforms that don’t meaningfully reduce the size, power, or budget of law enforcement bureaucracies. This insight comes from Karakatsanis’s work, including his book Copaganda: how police and the Media Manipulate Our News.
Debunking Myths About Crime and Policing
Karakatsanis dissects common misconceptions about crime and policing that gained traction following the Black Lives Matter protests of the past decade. He specifically challenges the perceived benefits of police body cameras and the widely reported “crime wave.” He asserts that, “contrary to what you have been told in the news every single day for the last several years, is actually down,” police-tracked crime.
However, Karakatsanis contends that fearmongering narratives in mainstream media are “designed to make people so afraid that they support repressive institutions that infringe on their own liberty, that don’t make them safer, but that give people in power in our society more ability to control a
The Power of Narrative Control
The core argument presented is that the way crime and policing are framed in the media significantly influences public perception and policy decisions. Karakatsanis’s work highlights the importance of critically evaluating these narratives and resisting reforms that merely offer the appearance of progress without addressing the underlying issues of power and control.
these narratives serve to justify increased control rather than genuine public safety.
Why is this happening? Activists and experts are raising concerns that the debate surrounding ICE and other law enforcement agencies is being manipulated by narratives-or “copaganda”-that prioritize control over public safety. These narratives, often amplified by mainstream media, aim to transform public outrage into support for superficial reforms that don’t fundamentally alter the power dynamics within these institutions.
Who is involved? Author Alec Karakatsanis, through his book Copaganda: How Police and the Media Manipulate our News, is central to this discussion. He challenges the prevailing narratives about crime and policing, while activists advocating for defunding or abolishing ICE are also key players. Mainstream media outlets are implicated as potential disseminators of “copaganda.”
what is the core issue? The central issue is the manipulation of public perception regarding crime and law enforcement. Karakatsanis argues that despite media reports to the contrary, crime rates have actually decreased in recent years. However, fearmongering tactics are used to justify increased control and repression, rather than genuine safety measures.
How did it unfold? Following the Black Lives Matter protests
