Homeless residents forcibly displaced and property destroyed as Trump increases control of D.C.
(WASHINGTON, D.C. – August 15th) Last night, police from the FBI, Secret Service, Department of Homeland Security and the Metropolitan Police Department roamed D.C., particularly in areas near the White House where homeless people live.
This morning, police evicted and destroyed the property of homeless people throughout D.C., throwing away people’s personal belongings, including tents and other property. There are nearly 900 people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in D.C. The city has stood up hundreds of emergency shelter beds with no support from the federal government, though there are still not enough beds to meet the true need. The Trump administration’s reckless abuse of power does nothing to address the simple fact that more people struggle to pay rent, and that lack of affordable housing is the main cause of homelessness.
It has been three days since the Trump administration stated their intention to broaden their racist attacks on homeless people to other major U.S. cities, including New York City, Chicago, and Baltimore. While the Trump administration is giving their billionaire cronies government handouts, 60% of people in the U.S. cannot afford the basic costs of living.
“The past 24 hours have been chaos,” said Jesse Rabinowitz from the National Homelessness Law Center, who was present last night and at this morning’s evictions. “Today’s actions are inhumane, a staggering waste of taxpayer dollars, and do nothing to solve homelessness. If Donald Trump really wanted to help people and solve homelessness, he would use his power to lower rents and help people make ends meet. Estimates show that taxpayers are spending over $400,000 a day for Trump to use the DC National Guard for photo ops. Why can they find money for that but not for housing and help? We need housing and support, not handcuffs and a military takeover of D.C. People displaced today don’t know where they will go and are now worse off due to Trump’s reckless actions.”
About the National Homelessness Law Center
The National Homelessness Law Center is committed to protecting the rights of unhoused people across the United States and to advocating for policies that prevent and end homelessness, ensuring that all people have access to safe and adequate housing.
