By Dayo Ade Olusola – M10News Digital | Washington, 24 July 2025
Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing states and cities to crack down on homelessness and move thousands of people into long-term treatment facilities.
The order, signed on Thursday, urges a shift in federal funding toward what it calls “humane” institutional care—targeting individuals suffering from addiction or mental health disorders.
“The Federal Government and the States have spent tens of billions of dollars on failed programmes that address homelessness but not its root causes,” the order states.
It claims more than 274,000 people were sleeping rough on any given night last year and blames widespread addiction and untreated psychiatric conditions for the worsening crisis.
Focus on ‘civil commitment’
Under the new directive, local authorities are encouraged to use civil commitment laws—allowing some individuals to be placed in care without their consent.
It also outlines “assisted outpatient treatment” as an alternative.
Cities that already enforce strict policies on illegal camping, open drug use, and squatting will be given priority in future grant allocations.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the initiative was part of Trump’s mission to “Make America Safe Again.”
“By removing vagrant criminals from our streets and redirecting resources toward substance abuse programmes, the Trump Administration will ensure that Americans feel safe—and that those in need receive help,” she said.
Institutional care questioned
Trump has long criticised homelessness in Washington, D.C., especially in areas near the White House and his motorcade route to his Virginia golf course.
He has also floated the idea of reopening closed psychiatric institutions to deal with what he once called “dangerous street people.”
However, the executive order did not include a budget figure or timeline for implementation, and it remains unclear whether such facilities would be restored nationwide.
Legal backing
The move follows a 6–3 ruling by the US Supreme Court last year that upheld the right of cities to fine or arrest people who camp on public property without permission.
Advocacy groups have raised concerns about the return of institutionalisation, arguing that forced treatment risks violating civil liberties.
Despite this, Trump’s order signals a sharp departure from past federal homelessness strategies, as he pushes to reshape policy ahead of the 2024 election.
