() President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday that directs cities and states to take whatever action is necessary to get homeless people off the streets and into treatment centers.
Homelessness has long been a major issue in the United States. Trump’s order gives cities more power to institutionalize people for sleeping in public spaces. It also blocks funding for supervised drug-use sites and allows shelters to prioritize women and children.
Cities such as Los Angeles, Seattle and Fort Lauderdale have already taken steps to restrict homelessness. Trump’s order aims to strengthen those efforts by providing more federal support to cities that have already begun cracking down.
“Shifting homeless individuals into long-term institutional settings for humane treatment through the appropriate use of civil commitment will restore public order. Surrendering our cities and citizens to disorder and fear is neither compassionate to the homeless nor other citizens,” the order states.
The order follows a 2024 Supreme Court ruling that allows cities to arrest and fine people for sleeping outdoors.
A growing problem in the U.S.
Levels of homelessness have been on the rise in recent years. On a single night in 2024, over 700,000 people were homeless, an 18% jump from 2023. Of those people, over a third were living on the street, in encampments or vehicles, according to the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness.
The Trump administration also raised concerns about widespread drug use and mental health issues among unhoused people.
“Nearly two-thirds of homeless individuals report having regularly used hard drugs like methamphetamines, cocaine, or opioids in their lifetimes,” the order states.
In March, Trump signed an executive order directing the National Park Service to clear homeless encampments and clean up litter on federal land in Washington, D.C.
“We can’t have it when leaders come to see me to make a trade deal for billions and billions and even trillions of dollars, and they come in and there’s tents outside of the White House, we can’t have that. It doesn’t sound nice,” Trump told a reporter on the White House lawn Friday.
Order faces backlash from advocates
Critics argue the order could do more harm than good.
Advocates for people experiencing homelessness argue that forcing people into treatment centers violates their rights, is unethical and largely ineffective.
“These executive orders ignore decades of evidence-based housing and support services in practice. They represent a punitive approach that has consistently failed to resolve homelessness and instead exacerbates the challenges faced by vulnerable individuals,” Donald Whitehead, Jr., executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, said in a statement.
Critics also warn that forcing homeless people into treatment centers could be a violation of due process rights under the 14th Amendment, according to Axios.
Solving the housing crisis could be the solution
Some believe the solution lies in tackling the housing crisis head-on.
According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, no U.S. state has enough affordable housing for renters with the lowest incomes.
“The U.S. has a shortage of 7.1 million rental homes affordable and available to renters with extremely low incomes,” it said.
Trump staying true to his word
“We will use every tool, lever, and authority to get the homeless off our streets. We want to take care of them, but they have to be off our streets,” Trump said in 2023.
This executive order marks a continuation of that campaign promise.
