Trump’s Crackdown on D.C. Homelessness Targets Black Residents Despite Declining Numbers

Despite Washington, D.C. being one of only six places in the U.S. where homelessness has fallen since 2019, with a more than 20% reduction since 2015, the Trump administration has deployed the National Guard to dismantle homeless encampments. This military action contradicts data showing D.C.'s homeless population dropped to about 5,000 people in 2025, a 9% decrease from the previous year, while national homelessness rates reached their highest levels since at least 2007. Critics argue the crackdown disproportionately targets Black residents, who comprise 41% of D.C.'s population but 82.