Trump Orders Nationwide Removal of Homeless Encampments

Former US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing cities and states across the country to dismantle homeless encampments and relocate individuals to treatment centers.

The move has drawn strong criticism from homelessness advocates, who warn it could worsen the ongoing crisis.

The order, signed on Thursday, instructs Attorney General Pam Bondi to override previous state and federal rulings that limit local efforts to clear homeless tents and encampments. However, it remains unclear how such legal decisions could be overturned unilaterally.

This directive follows a 2024 Supreme Court ruling allowing cities to prohibit the use of tents by homeless individuals in public spaces. Trump's executive action builds on that ruling, aiming to clear streets and public areas nationwide.

The National Coalition for the Homeless condemned the order, stating it undermines the legal protections of homeless people, particularly those suffering from mental illness. The coalition also criticized the Trump administration’s track record on civil rights and due process, warning that the new policy could push more people into extreme vulnerability.

Trump stated that homeless individuals living in tents should be transferred to facilities offering mental health and addiction treatment. However, he did not present any plans to expand treatment infrastructure or increase the availability of long-term housing.

According to the US Interagency Council on Homelessness, the number of homeless people across the United States reached 771,480 on a single night in 2024, a rise of 18 percent compared to the previous year. The Department of Housing and Urban Development reported that around 36 percent of those individuals were completely unsheltered, living in streets, vehicles, or makeshift tents.

The National Homelessness Law Center has also criticized the executive order, warning that its enforcement, combined with recent cuts to housing and healthcare funding, could significantly deepen the crisis.

The center stated that forced treatment is unethical, ineffective, and legally questionable, arguing that the order could divert critical resources away from those who need them most.