DateIssued:July24,2025
Topic:CriminalJustice,LawEnforcement,Health
Thisordermakesiteasierforstatesandmunicipalitiestohospitalize individualspresumedtobehavingamentalhealthcrisisandunhoused individualswithouttheirconsent.
Thisexecutiveorderincreasestherequirementsforfederallyfunded programsthattreatmentallyillpeopleandpeopleinunstablehousing situations.
Theorderterminatesfederalsupportforhousingfirstpolicies,which provideunconditionalsupportforunhousedindividuals,harmreduction initiatives,andsafeconsumptionsites.
TheordercomesontheheelsoftheSupremeCourt’s6-3decisioninCity ofGrantsPassv.Johnson,whichstatesthatitisnotcruelandunusual punishmentforpoliceofficerstofineandarrestunhousedpeoplewho sleepinpublicplaces.Together,thesedecisionscriminalizepeoplewith mentalillnessesandprecarioushousingcircumstances.
ThisexecutiveorderwillprimarilybeenforcedbytheAttorneyGeneral(AG).
TheorderauthorizestheAGtorevokeconsentdecreesandoverridejudicial precedentsinordertoincreasecivilcommitmentsformentallyilland unhousedindividuals.
TheorderalsoencouragestheAGtoofferguidanceandfundingtostates onhowtoadoptandimplementlenientcivilcommitmentframeworks, whichwouldallowformentallyillandunhousedindividualstobe involuntarilycommitted.
TheorderdirectstheAG,theSecretaryofHealthandHumanServices(HHS), theSecretaryofHousingandUrbanDevelopment(HUD),andtheSecretary ofTransportationtodeprioritizegrantmakingtostatesandorganizations thatfacilitatesupervisedconsumptionsitesandharmreductioninitiatives andtoprioritizefundingentitiesthatprohibiturbancamping,performcivil commitmentsonmentallyillpeople,andtracksexoffenderswhodonot haveapermanentaddress.
TheorderrequirestheAGtoensurethattheFederalLawEnforcement Assistanceprogramisfullyfundedtoremoveencampmentsinareas wherestatesandmunicipalitiesareunderresourced.
TheordermandatesthattheAGevaluatefederalresourcestoensurethat mentallyilldetaineesremaininfederalcustodyifnobedsareavailablein theirjurisdiction’sjailsorhospitalsandtheydonothaveahousingrelease plan.
TheorderdirectstheHHSSecretarytodefundgrantsadministeredthrough theSubstanceAbuseandMentalHealthServicesAdministration(SAMHSA), whichfundharmreductionandsafeconsumptionefforts.Theorderalso directstheHHSSecretarytosupportoutpatientmentalhealthand addictiontreatmentprograms,federallyqualifiedhealthcenters,and certifiedcommunitybehavioralhealthclinicsintransitioningtheirpatients toprivatehousingandprovidingcomprehensiveservices,includingcrisis intervention.
TheorderinstructstheAGtoprovidefundingtoexpanddrugandmental healthcourts.Italsoincreasesthenumberofeligibilityrequirementsfor patientswithsubstanceusedisorderorotherseriousmentalillnessesin federallyfundedhousingassistanceprogramstoreceiveservices.
TheorderinstructstheAGtoinvestigateifrecipientsoffederalhousing andhomelessnessassistancefundsthatalsooperatesafeconsumption sitesareinviolationoffederallawandtodeterminetheappropriate chargestofile.TheorderalsoinstructstheHUDSecretarytodetermineif theseentitiesareinviolationoftheprogramtermsand,ifapplicable,to freezetheirfunding.
TheorderdirectstheHUDSecretarytoallowfederallyfundedhousing organizationstoonlyhousewomenandchildrenandtopreventsex offendersfrombeinghousedwithchildren.Theorderalsorequiresthe DepartmentofJusticetoscreenunhousedpeoplearrestedforfederal crimestodetermineiftheyare“sexuallydangerous.”
In2020,over40%oftheunhousedpopulationintheUnitedStateswas Black,aracialdisparitythathasnotimprovedoverthelastdecade.This executiveordermakesiteasierforlawenforcementtoremoveunhoused peoplefromthestreets,whileleavingtherootcausesofhomelessness, poverty,andaddictionunaddressed.Intheprocess,theordereliminates federalfundingforholisticapproaches,likehousingfirstpoliciesand harmreductionpractices,likesafeconsumptionsites.Thesesitesreduce theriskofoverdosesandcriminalizationofsubstanceusedisorder,and theprovisionsinthisexecutiveorderjeopardizethoseaims.
