White House warns homeless in Washington DC face jail under Trump’s crackdown if they refuse to comply

WASHINGTON, Aug 13 — Homeless individuals in Washington, DC, could face fines or jail time if they refuse to comply with President Donald Trump’s crackdown on crime and efforts to clear encampments in the US capital, the White House said yesterday.

“Homeless individuals will be given the option to leave their encampment, be taken to a shelter, or be offered addiction and mental health services. If they refuse, they will face fines or possible jail time,” White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters.

She added that the administration is considering relocating homeless individuals “far from the capital,” noting that US Park Police have removed 70 encampments from federal parks since March, with the last two in the city scheduled for clearance this week.

Andy Wassenich, policy director at Miriam’s Kitchen — a homeless services organisation — said his team has been warning people, though confusion remains about the crackdown’s full impact. His advice: “Go to shelter if you can. If you have anyone you can stay with, get off the street, seek safety, and let us know how we can help.”

Trump had voiced his desire to remove the homeless from Washington before announcing the unprecedented move to temporarily take control of the District of Columbia’s police department under the Home Rule Act. The plan includes deploying 800 National Guard troops and 500 federal law enforcement agents as part of a citywide crime crackdown.

Describing the homeless alongside “violent gangs, roving mobs of wild youth, and drugged-out maniacs,” Trump likened the effort to his administration’s border security measures.

Record-high homelessness nationwide

According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), homelessness nationwide hit a record 771,000 people on a single night in 2024. Washington’s homeless population stood at 5,616 — up 14.1 per cent from the previous year — ranking it 16th among US cities by homeless numbers, but the highest in prevalence, with 83 homeless per 10,000 residents.

Despite a large-scale Monday night operation involving 850 officers and federal agents, which led to 23 arrests, there was no sign that homeless individuals had been directly targeted.

The Home Rule Act allows Congress ultimate authority over the District but permits local elections for mayor and council. Trump bypassed local leaders by declaring a “public safety emergency” and invoking a provision that enables the president to assume control of the police force for 30 days in emergency conditions.

On Sunday night, a small group of federal agents briefly questioned someone at Union Station, a common gathering spot for the homeless, but did not disperse those present, according to witnesses.

Jacob Adams, an activist with the anti-Trump group FLARE USA, described the encounter as “more like a show of force or a photo op” than an active crackdown.

Wassenich said there is little evidence so far of widespread enforcement against the unhoused population. “The tents are still standing. People are still sleeping on benches,” he noted. — Reuters