Trump officials visit L.A. amid reports administration wants to crack down on homeless camps


At least a dozen Trump administration officials are now in Los Angeles, meeting with Mayor Eric Garcetti's staffers to discuss the issue of homelessness in the city.
Led by Ben Hobbs, President Trump's special assistant for domestic policy, they toured the Skid Row area of downtown Los Angeles, which is home to thousands of homeless people, the Los Angeles Times reports. An estimated 59,000 homeless people live in Los Angeles County, up 12 percent from 2018, with more than 36,000 in L.A., an increase of 16 percent.
Trump has criticized cities in California with large homeless populations, and told Fox News earlier this year his administration is taking the issue "very seriously. We may intercede. We may do something to get that whole thing cleaned up. It's inappropriate."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Garcetti staffers said they welcome the dialogue, and have been saying more federal funding is needed to get a handle on things. A spokesman for Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), Nathan Click, said in a statement that if Trump is "willing to put serious solutions — with real investment — on the table, California stands ready to talk. He could start by ending his plans to cut food stamps, gut health care for low-income people, and scare immigrant families from accessing government services."
The Washington Post is also reporting that Trump administration officials have talked about the federal government stepping in to get homeless people in California off the streets and into new facilities backed by the government. It's unclear how, or if, this could legally work. One option being discussed is tearing down homeless encampments and renovating existing government buildings, two officials told the Post.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
‘It’s not normal for parents to raise their children in isolation’
instant opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Is a market crash around the corner?
Talking Points Observers see echoes of 1929
-
Frankenstein is alive, the Alabama prison system is exposed and Rose Byrne goes full Crazy Mom in October movies
the week recommends This month’s new releases include ‘Frankenstein,’ ‘The Alabama Solution’ and ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’
-
News organizations reject Pentagon restrictions
Speed Read The proposed policy is Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s latest move to limit press access at the Pentagon
-
Trump declares end to Gaza war, ‘dawn’ of new Mideast
Speed Read Hamas freed the final 20 living Israeli hostages and Israel released thousands of Palestinian detainees
-
Trump DOJ indicts New York AG Letitia James
Speed Read New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted as Trump’s Justice Department pursues charges against his political opponents
-
Judge blocks Trump’s Guard deployment in Chicago
Speed Read The president is temporarily blocked from federalizing the Illinois National Guard or deploying any Guard units in the state
-
Trump urges jail for Illinois, Chicago leaders
Speed Read The Texas National Guard begin operations in the Chicago area
-
Bondi stonewalls on Epstein, Comey in Senate face-off
Speed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi denied charges of using the Justice Department in service of Trump’s personal vendettas
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to Chicago
Speed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in Oregon
Speed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland