President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to address the growing homelessness crisis by clearing encampments and moving people into treatment centers.
The directive aims to help local governments restore public order and reduce illegal squatting and loitering.
The order authorizes Attorney General Pam Bondi to dismantle legal barriers that have previously blocked the removal of homeless individuals.
This includes revisiting court rulings and consent decrees that limited cities’ power to act.
Federal assistance will be reallocated to fund drug rehabilitation and mental health programs. The goal is to shift from tolerance of street living to enforced relocation into structured environments.
Bondi is tasked with collaborating with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, HUD Secretary Scott Turner, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. Together, they will expedite funds for cities that aggressively counteract open drug use and street encampments.
The administration also emphasized the importance of monitoring registered sex offenders in public areas as part of this new approach, per the Conservative Brief.
On Friday, Trump called the initiative “common sense” and referenced the presence of tents in Washington, D.C., as unacceptable — especially outside the White House. “We can’t have that,” Trump said. “It doesn’t sound nice.”
Trump added that foreign dignitaries coming to negotiate major trade deals should not be greeted by homeless camps outside government buildings. He said such conditions undermine the image of the U.S.
Speaking from the South Lawn, Trump said he personally urged the D.C. mayor to clean up the streets. He described the presence of encampments as “terrible” and vowed they would be “removed immediately.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the action fulfills Trump’s campaign promise to restore dignity and safety in American neighborhoods. She highlighted the plan’s dual focus on removing criminals and expanding support for those battling addiction.
Leavitt added that the administration’s plan would offer compassion through treatment while protecting law-abiding citizens. The approach is positioned as both tough and rehabilitative.
However, homelessness advocacy groups have sharply criticized the move. Donald Whitehead of the National Coalition for the Homeless warned that the order ignores proven solutions and instead leans on failed punitive strategies.
Whitehead argued that Trump’s action would worsen homelessness by criminalizing those in need and driving them further to the margins of society.
The National Homelessness Law Center also denounced the order. In a statement, the group claimed it violates constitutional rights and will likely result in more policing, arrests, and displacement.
They predicted the policy would force more people to live in cars and unsafe encampments due to inadequate housing alternatives.
This executive action follows a Supreme Court ruling last month that upheld the authority of an Oregon city to fine homeless individuals for sleeping outdoors. The court ruled such penalties do not constitute cruel and unusual punishment.
The ruling has been closely watched by municipalities struggling to maintain safety and cleanliness in public spaces, including parks and underpasses.
Homelessness reached a record high in 2024, with over 770,000 individuals affected. HUD attributes the rise to housing shortages, natural disasters, and an influx of migrants.
Trump made homelessness a signature campaign issue in 2024. At a North Carolina rally, he described the problem as a threat to America’s cities and vowed to eliminate encampments permanently.
