D.C. Public Safety Executive Order Revives Failed “Tough-on-Crime” Policies, Ignores Proven Solutions

A White House executive order on crime and public safety in Washington, D.C. signals a return to outdated and counterproductive approaches rather than investments in the solutions that keep communities safe.

The order directs federal agencies to increase coordination on law enforcement efforts in D.C., an approach that emphasizes aggressive policing, expanded use of pre-trial detention, and forcibly removing unhoused people, who have nowhere else safe to stay, from public spaces. These shifts threaten to disproportionately harm Black communities and other communities of color, people who immigrated to the U.S., people with low incomes, and people experiencing homelessness — groups that have historically faced the brunt of over-policing and criminalization.

By prioritizing punishment over prevention, the order risks driving more people into the criminal legal system. In fact, it may ultimately undermine public safety by destabilizing families and communities, increasing the likelihood of rearrest for those locked up prior to their day in court, and creating greater reluctance to report crime. This is a particular concern for immigrants, who may fear harassment, wrongful detention, and deportation (including deportation without due process) because of the Administration’s hostile policies.

Nationally, between 2020 and 2022, there were marked increases in violent and property crimes, including in Washington, D.C. But by 2023, crime rates across most of the country started to revert back to pre-pandemic levels (some of the lowest rates in roughly 40 years). While crime did increase in D.C. in 2023, by 2024, before the start of the current Administration, reported crime in D.C. also fell dramatically. Of course, more must be done, but instead of acknowledging this progress and building on it by supporting effective crime prevention strategies, the Trump Administration is pushing the same failed “tough-on-crime” approaches that have historically done little to improve public safety.

The executive order comes on the heels of congressional action that, if not reversed (as even the President has called for), could cut over $1 billion from D.C.’s budget, jeopardizing the city services that D.C. residents need to be safe. While the Senate has passed language that would fix the issue, the bill has stalled in the House. In response to the potential of a budget crisis, the D.C. mayor has announced an immediate hiring freeze for city employees, plans to freeze overtime pay, furlough employees, and review grants and contracts for services, and other sizeable budget cuts.

Rather than expanding punitive enforcement, the Administration should focus on proven strategies for safety: funding alternative crisis response teams, expanding access to mental health care, investing in affordable housing and community engagement programs, and supporting economic opportunities that help people avoid the criminal legal system in the first place.