The Wren Collective
Reimagining the Way Our Country Approaches the Criminal Legal System
The Wren Collective works to transform America’s approach to public safety, expose the weaponization of the legal system, and ensure every person has the chance to participate in civic society. For too long, those with power have exploited the criminal legal system to take away the rights of marginalized communities, people of color, immigrants, and increasingly, their political opponents.
Wren pushes for a world where everyone—not just those with money and power—can live healthy, safe, and dignified lives.
Read Our Recent Publications
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: Shadow Immigration Forces Threaten Police Reforms
As immigration raids sweep across the country, many of us are watching ICE and CBP agents act like a shadow police force. Agents appear free to harass anyone who happens…
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The Resurgence of the Death Penalty
As recently as last year, the death penalty was in serious decline in the United States. Federal and state executions were at an all time low and public support for…
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In A Democracy, Dissent Is Not Terrorism
In this newsletter, we explore how the Trump administration and state leaders are criminalizing dissent by weaponizing the DOJ, ICE, and other law enforcement tools at their disposal. We highlight…
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The President’s Plan to Lock Everyone Up
Normally, our newsletters explore how states function as laboratories for authoritarian forms of government and the federal government’s utilization of those ideas in its own power grab. Today, we take…
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Our Future Is On The Ballot
One thing is certain about the redistricting battle now unfolding in Texas: the Texas GOP’s midterm effort to further eke out unfair advantage from the state’s already unfair congressional map…
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Using Criminal Prosecution to Manipulate the 2026 Election
Trump Attacks Elections by Targeting Election Officials In 2020, state and local election workers faced an unprecedented wave of hostility, threats, and violence because of Trump’s big lie about the presidential…
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Gideon Turns 60: Nueces County, TX
In “Sixty Years After Gideon: Indigent Defense in Nueces County,” Wren investigated indigent defense in Nueces County, Texas. The report found major problems with the County’s appointed attorney system. Court appointed…
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Attacks On Our Climate Are Attacks On Our Democracy
In this installment, we will focus on the anti-democratic campaign to undermine the fight against climate change. From the fossil fuel industry pushing to criminalize free speech, to officials using climate disasters…
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Project 2025 Is Already Here
While we continue to expose the many anti-democratic features of Project 2025, it is important to maintain sight of the anti-democratic efforts that are already well underway in virtually every…
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