Civil rights attorney Joseph Cammarata was featured on WTOP News in Washington, D.C. on February 18, 2025. WTOP News asked Mr. Cammarata about President Trump’s expected executive order intended to clear out homeless encampments in the D.C. area. According to WTOP, Trump plans to sign an executive order that would remove encampments for the unhoused, mirroring legislation in other cities that bans people sleeping in public places.
“I don’t think cities are meant to have people living on the street,” Cammarata told WTOP. “It would take resources, law enforcement and other personnel to come in and move the people from the encampments and, presumably, put them into some type of shelter, mental health shelters or hospital settings — whatever is appropriate.”
Cammarata said the District has not done enough to “stem the growth of these encampments” over the years. He added that it is going to require a lot of resources, including law enforcement and mental health professionals to relocate the scores of people currently on the street into facilities that can help them.
“(D.C.) has to start,” Cammarata said. “Can the city work with the federal government? The mayor has said that she would. And so I don’t see why they couldn’t, and why they shouldn’t.”
Audio Transcript
Homelessness has long been a problem in Washington. The president wants to remove the camps and relocate those experiencing homelessness. This has been done in other cities but not on a large scale in Washington.
“I don’t think cities are meant to have people living on the streets.”
Civil rights attorney Joseph Cammarata says this can be accomplished.
“It would take resources, law enforcement and other personnel to come in and move the people from the encampments and presumably put them into some type of shelter, mental health shelters or hospital settings – where ever is appropriate.”
Can the city handle it? To what degree will a federal government provide resources? These are all part of the ongoing conversation in this persistent problem.
Homelessness has long been a problem in Washington. The president wants to remove the camps and relocate those experiencing homelessness. This has been done in other cities but not on a large scale in Washington.
“I don’t think cities are meant to have people living on the streets.”
Civil rights attorney Joseph Cammarata says this can be accomplished.
“It would take resources, law enforcement and other personnel to come in and move the people from the encampments and presumably put them into some type of shelter, mental health shelters or hospital settings – where ever is appropriate.”
Can the city handle it? To what degree will a federal government provide resources? These are all part of the ongoing conversation in this persistent problem.
Audio Transcript
“Over the years there’s been nothing to stem the growth of these encampments.”
Joseph Cammarata says it’s going to require a lot of resources, law enforcement, mental health professionals, and others to relocate scores of people on the streets into facilities that can help them.
“That’s a start. Can the district work with the federal government? And the mayor has said she would. And so I don’t see why they couldn’t and why they shouldn’t.”
Exactly what that would cost, what resources would be required, and how or if the federal government would assist are all questions as yet unanswered.
“Over the years there’s been nothing to stem the growth of these encampments.”
Joseph Cammarata says it’s going to require a lot of resources, law enforcement, mental health professionals, and others to relocate scores of people on the streets into facilities that can help them.
“That’s a start. Can the district work with the federal government? And the mayor has said she would. And so I don’t see why they couldn’t and why they shouldn’t.”
Exactly what that would cost, what resources would be required, and how or if the federal government would assist are all questions as yet unanswered.
You can read the full story here.
