Trump Executive Order Seeks Criminalization, Institutionalization of Homeless Nationwide

President Donald Trump's recent executive order aims to address homelessness by promoting the involuntary civil commitment of unhoused individuals with mental illness or addiction and redirecting funding away from harm reduction programs like safe injection sites. This order has sparked widespread concern among homeless advocates, public health officials, and housing organizations nationwide, who argue that it criminalizes homelessness and undermines evidence-based, housing-first approaches. Critics highlight that the order's emphasis on confinement and forced treatment ignores the root causes of homelessness, such as poverty and housing shortages, and could exacerbate public health risks by defunding vital harm reduction services. States like Tennessee have already enacted harsh laws criminalizing public camping and have struggled with the financial and logistical burdens of managing unhoused populations without sufficient housing or support resources. Officials in Connecticut and Ohio emphasize that the order conflicts with local laws and lacks feasible infrastructure to implement its mandates, risking increased homelessness and overburdened shelters. Advocates call for a focus on expanding housing and removing regulatory barriers rather than punitive measures, warning that the executive order could worsen homelessness and public disorder instead of resolving it.