White House suggests homeless in DC could be fined, jailed

The White House on Tuesday said homeless people in the nation’s capital could be subject to fines and jail time as the administration cracks down on crime. 

“The homeless problem has ravaged the city,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.

“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, and if they refuse, they will be susceptible to fines or to jail time.”

Leavitt said the administration plans to enforce existing Washington laws that have been “completely ignored,” after President Trump on Monday announced a takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the activation of National Guard troops. 

She cited D.C. Code 22-1307 and D.C. municipal regulation 24-100 as giving MPD the authority to take action on homelessness and encampments in the capital city, and said the administration “will be using these regulations and code that already exists to clean up our streets.”

Since Trump signed his “Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful” executive order in March, 70 homeless encampments have been removed by U.S. Park Police, Leavitt touted — and the remaining two encampments are scheduled for removal this week.

Trump over the weekend had urged homeless people in the District to “move out, IMMEDIATELY” as he vowed an overhaul.

“We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital,” the president wrote on Truth Social.

Leavitt said Tuesday that moving homeless people far from the city isn’t off the table and that the administration is “exploring” that option. 

“But again, homeless shelters, offered addiction and mental health services or jail, if they refuse, are the options on the table right now,” she said.

Trump has declared a public safety emergency in the District and assumed federal control of MPD under the Home Rule Act, a provision that lets him take over the police force for up to 30 days. Congress would need to pass a joint resolution to extend it further. He's tapped Terry Cole, the administrator of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), to serve as the federal government’s leader of the MPD.

“As for the timing, we will reevaluate and reassess and make further decisions after this 30-day period is up. But within these 30 days, our entire focus is making sure that this is the most efficient operation possible,” Leavitt said Tuesday.

“We look forward to working alongside the Metropolitan Police Department. And we did that last night, successfully, and we hope we can do that for the next 29 nights.”