A Michigan county sheriff is pushing back against an executive order signed by President Trump, saying "laws specifically targeting homelessness are also inherently racist and classist."
Mr. Trump's "Ending Crime and Disorder on America's Streets" order, signed on July 24, makes it easier for cities and states to remove homeless people from the streets and get them treatment elsewhere.
In Michigan, Washtenaw County Sheriff Alyshia Dyer says the order treats homelessness like a crime. Her message reflects what she's heard from those she serves.
"In Washtenaw County, I can speak to the unhoused community committing far less crime than those who have stable housing," she said. "We are not going to criminalize homelessness or substance use treatment, and we're going to ensure that we can be the best public servants for our community that we can be, despite some of the rhetoric that was in the executive order."
In response, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued the following statement.
"President Trump is delivering on his commitment to Make America Safe Again and end homelessness across America. By removing vagrant criminals from our streets and redirecting resources toward substance abuse programs, the Trump Administration will ensure that Americans feel safe in their own communities and that individuals suffering from addiction or mental health struggles are able to get the help they need."
According to Washtenaw County's Continuum of Care program, 330 people did not have a permanent place to live in 2024, an increase from 226 in 2023. The county has been seeing an increase in homelessness over the last three years after a slight drop between 2020 and 2022.
A report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development found that of those 330 people, about 85 were children under 18 years old.
Additionally, a total of 591 people experienced homelessness in December 2024, an increase from 545 people in December 2023.
Jim Tignanelli, president of the Police Officers Association of Michigan, says the order has good intentions and could lead to some positive outcomes.
"We don't want to violate anyone's rights, but at the same time, we can't pretend that just because we might violate someone's rights that we should leave some poor guy who really does need help left aside," Tignanelli said.
Dyer says both "harm reduction" and "housing first" are pillars of her strategy to address homelessness.
"This idea that we're going to force our way into changing them is not humane, and I really think that while we do understand that when people get caught up in the legal system, we try to offer those alternatives, we have to do more at the front end as well," she said.