On August 13, 2025, the streets of Washington, D.C., buzzed with more than just the usual summer heat. Hundreds of National Guard troops fanned out across the nation’s capital, marking the beginning of a dramatic federal intervention. President Donald Trump, in a move that’s stirred heated debate, announced a federal takeover of policing in the District, focusing squarely on the city’s homeless population. The administration’s stated goal: to make Washington, D.C., “safe and beautiful” by clearing homeless encampments and moving those without housing far from the city center.
The plan, as outlined by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt during a press briefing, is forceful and immediate. “Homeless individuals will be given the option to leave their encampment, to be taken to a homeless shelter, to be offered addiction or mental health services,” Leavitt told reporters, as cited by NPR. “If they refuse, they will be subjected to fines or jail time.” This, she insisted, is about enforcing laws that have long been “completely ignored.”
Yet, as is often the case with sweeping policy pronouncements, the details remain murky. Where exactly will the city’s homeless residents be taken? What kind of support will they receive? And how will the city ensure the rights and well-being of some 5,138 adults and children who, according to the 2025 point-in-time count reported by Mayor Muriel Bowser, make up D.C.’s homeless population—a figure that, notably, is down 9% from the previous year?
President Trump’s rhetoric on the issue has been blunt and, to some, inflammatory. On his social media platform, he declared, “The homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY. We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital.” During a press conference, he went further, blaming “drugged-out maniacs and homeless people” for what he described as a sharp decline in the city’s quality of life. This despite Department of Justice data showing violent crime in Washington, D.C., reached a 30-year low in 2024, with other forms of crime also on the decline—a fact echoed by several sources, including NPR and SAN.
For many advocates and local officials, the administration’s approach is a cause for concern. Jessie Rabinowitz from the National Homelessness Law Center told NPR, “There are very few beds available [in Washington]. There are a handful of shelter beds available in far-flung parts of the city. Often in parts of the city where people don’t want to be.” Her point is echoed by the lived experiences of those directly affected. Dallas Bossert, a 64-year-old who prefers to “sleep under the stars,” explained, “The problem with a lot of your shelters is it’s a 30-day stay and then you have to move. You can’t really get nothing done.”
Donald Whitehead, executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, voiced deeper fears about the implications of the crackdown. “There is a fear this may be similar to what’s happened to people rounded up due to their immigration status,” he said to NPR, referencing the detention camps that have emerged across the country. “We’re very concerned that people could be removed involuntarily away from services. That could lead to a lot of very bad outcomes including death.”
It’s not just advocates who are wary. Local residents, too, have expressed anxiety about the federal government’s heavy-handed approach. Jeraod Tyre, a Washington resident of 15 years, noted, “Crime has been slowing down lately,” and warned that federal troops could escalate tensions, lacking the relationships local police have built with the community. Sheiena Taylor, who has lived in the city all her life, told the Associated Press, “Being homeless isn’t a crime,” emphasizing the need for solutions that address the root causes of homelessness rather than simply policing it.
District officials, for their part, have scrambled to respond. Kevin Donahue, the city administrator, said outreach workers were visiting encampments and that a building capable of housing up to 200 people was being readied. Mayor Bowser, in a conversation broadcast on X, remarked that Trump’s reaction to seeing homeless encampments seems to be less about reality and more about perception: “When Trump sees homeless encampments in the city it triggers something in him that has him believing our very beautiful city is dirty, which it is not.”
Meanwhile, the federal government’s actions have already been felt on the ground. Over the past five months, the U.S. Park Police have removed 70 homeless encampments from district parks, with just two remaining as of August 13, both scheduled for imminent removal. As federal law enforcement and advocacy groups urge people to pack up their tents and belongings, confusion and fear ripple through the community.
Some of the administration’s critics point to a troubling contradiction: while the White House touts its commitment to addiction and mental health services, it has simultaneously slashed funding for addiction research, treatment grants, and Medicaid—programs many homeless individuals rely on. Constances Harrison, who lives in an encampment near the Lincoln Memorial, summed up the frustration: “They’re cutting the housing for people. I wish they would stop treating homeless people like we’re dogs and like we’re all addicts.”
Medical experts, too, warn that the administration’s approach oversimplifies a complex issue. Dr. Stephen Taylor, head of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, told NPR, “[Addiction] is a chronic illness. It’s not the kind of thing where you sweep them up, you get them better and then they’re cured and that’s it.” He criticized the dehumanizing rhetoric, adding, “People who experience addiction are us, our friends, our neighbors, our family members, our children.”
Despite these concerns, Leavitt maintains that the crackdown is about enforcing existing laws and regulations. Yet, as SAN noted, the specific codes cited do not clearly outline how mental health or addiction treatments are to be provided, leaving a gap between policy and practice. Anna Olivia, head of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, argued to NPR, “The solution isn’t to punish unsheltered people by putting them in jail. The solution should be to provide them access to safe and affordable housing and the services they need to maintain that housing.”
As the city grapples with these sweeping changes, one thing is clear: the debate over how best to address homelessness in Washington, D.C., is far from settled. The administration’s aggressive tactics have sparked a national conversation about the balance between public order, compassion, and the rights of the most vulnerable. For now, the fate of thousands hangs in the balance, as policymakers, advocates, and those living on the streets await the next steps in this unfolding drama.
