ST. PAUL, Minn. — On July 24, President Trump signed an executive order that expands involuntary civil commitment for people experiencing homelessness, while defunding and deprioritizing programs focused on Housing First and harm reduction.
In response, the undersigned Minnesota State Senators and Representatives release the following statement:
“This executive order is not a solution to homelessness; it is a dangerous rollback of proven strategies, driven by fear and cruelty. By promoting the civil commitment of unhoused people and defunding programs that prioritize housing and harm reduction, this executive order criminalizes poverty and punishes mental illness and disability, undermining the dignity and autonomy of our neighbors.
Involuntary civil commitment is not a compassionate or effective response to homelessness or mental illness. It will inflict trauma and cut people off from community-based care and ignores the real drivers of homelessness: a shortage of affordable housing, income insecurity, and the lack of access to mental healthcare. Instead of care, this executive order proposes a cage. It will lead to worse outcomes, higher criminality, and disengagement from solutions and treatments that work.
We have long known that to end homelessness we must make housing affordable, treat people with addiction with dignity; and build a safety net strong enough to catch all who are marginalized, villainized, and dehumanized. This executive order treats unhoused people as criminals instead of community members in crisis.
With our DFL majority, we created and funded housing-first programs that get families back on their feet; built multi-agency initiatives to put Minnesota on track to end veteran homelessness this year; funded emergency shelters, expanded rental aid, and helped more families afford their first down payment. We funded substance use disorder treatment and awareness programming, expanded safe recovery sites, strengthened sober homes protections, invested in overdose prevention which significantly reduced opioid deaths, and more.
We will continue to fight for compassionate, evidence-based solutions that uphold the rights and humanity of every person. This executive order betrays those values and we must reject it.
This statement is signed by Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention Committee Chair Sen. Lindsey Port (DFL-Burnsville), Vice Chair Sen. Liz Boldon (DFL-Rochester) and committee members Sen. Doron Clark (DFL-Minneapolis), Sen. Susan Pha (DFL - Brooklyn Park), Sen. Zaynab Mohamed (DFL - Minneapolis), Sen. Aric Putnam (DFL – St. Cloud). Human Services Chair Sen. John Hoffman (DFL - Champlin), Vice Chair Sen. Omar Fateh (DFL - Minneapolis), and committee members Sen. Melissa Wiklund (DFL - Bloomington), Sen. Erin Maye Quade (DFL-Apple Valley), Sen. Zaynab Mohamed (DFL - Minneapolis). House Housing Committee Co-Chair Rep. Mike Howard (DFL - Richfield), Co-Vice Chair Rep. Liish Kozlowski (DFL-Duluth), Rep. Esther Agbaje (DFL-Minneapolis), Rep. Matt Norris (DFL - Blaine). House Human Services Co-Chair Rep. Mohamud Noor (DFL - Minneapolis), Rep. Brion Curran (DFL - Vadnais Heights), Rep. Peter Fischer (DFL - Maplewood), Rep. Luke Frederick (DFL - Mankato), Rep. Kim Hicks (DFL - Rochester), Rep. Huldah Momanyi-Hiltsley (DFL - Brooklyn Park), Rep. Matt Norris (DFL - Blaine), Rep. Bianca Virnig (DFL - Eagan).