Executive Order to Remove Unhoused People Criticized

In Brief

NASW strongly opposed an executive order from President Trump that would forcibly remove unhoused people from public spaces and institutionalize them. In a July 31 news release, NASW stated the order criminalizes poverty and does little to address mental illness, economic distress and other issues that cause homelessness.

Social work is rooted in the belief that every person, regardless of mental health, addiction, or housing status situation, deserves dignity, compassion, and the right to person, regardless of mental health, addiction, or housing status situation, deserves dignity, compassion, and the right to thrive. Homelessness is not a crime. Mental illness and addiction are not moral failings and systems level solutions must be grounded in care, not punishment.

“NASW will continue to advocate for humane, just and effective responses to the intersecting crises of homelessness, addiction and mental illness,” said NASW CEO Anthony Estreet, PhD, MBA, LCSW-C. “Our communities deserve better and we must better.”