After President Donald Trump announced the takeover of the Washington, D.C., police department and deployment of the National Guard, the focus is on the removal of homeless encampments from the US capital.
The President vowed to relocate unhoused individuals “far from the Capital” as part of a broader federal policing takeover.
While Trump has framed the effort as a crackdown on crime and urban decay amid what he termed as a “criminal emergency”, critics say the approach ignores the root causes of homelessness and risks criminalizing poverty.
Here’s what we know so far about this major development in Washington
What’s Trump planning?
At a press conference this week, Trump confirmed plans to clear homeless encampments across the District and relocate residents away from the city centre. However, his exact plans remain unclear.
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“The homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY. We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital,” Trump said.
During a media briefing at the White House on Tuesday, press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked where homeless people would be relocated. She said local police and federal agencies would “enforce the laws that are already on the books,” which, she said, “have been completely ignored.”
How many people will be affected?
According to the most recent “point-in-time” count conducted in January 2025, Washington, D.C. has approximately 5,138 unhoused adults and children—a 9% drop from the previous year, according to Mayor Muriel Bowser.
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These numbers, however, only offer a snapshot and may not capture the full scope of the homeless population, especially as encampments shift or are dispersed.
Leavitt said that in the past five months, the US Park Police have removed 70 homeless encampments, giving the people living in them the same options.
Where will these people be sent?
While the Trump administration insists alternative shelter will be provided to these people, there has been no confirmation about where displaced individuals will go, what their living conditions will be, or how long they will be housed there.
Kevin Donahue, the city administrator, said outreach workers were visiting homeless encampments and that the city has a building available that could house as many as 200 people, if needed.
What is the city doing?
District officials said Tuesday they were making additional shelter space available after Trump said federal agents would remove homeless people in the city.
Kevin Donahue, the city administrator, said outreach workers were visiting homeless encampments and that the city has a building available that could house as many as 200 people, if needed.
Donahue made the comments during a conversation with community advocates and Bowser. The conversation was broadcast on X.
What do we still not know?
It’s not exactly clear what agents specifically will be tasked with moving homeless people to areas outside the city.
There has also been no detailed information about how the people will be housed or provided for in the new locations.
Some advocates have raised constitutional questions about the legality of forcibly removing homeless people from the city.
