1. United States
2. Iowa
3. Letter

I urge you to oppose all policies that criminalize poverty, including President Trump’s “Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful” executive order and Des Moines’ no-camping ordinances. These measures are unconstitutional, morally indefensible, and anti-Christian at their core. The executive order mandates the removal of homeless encampments from federal land, expands arrests for “quality-of-life” offenses, and allows forced institutionalization without proper legal safeguards. Des Moines’ no-camping bans similarly displace people without safe alternatives. Both treat unhoused people as nuisances to be removed rather than citizens in need of help. Criminalizing poverty violates the Constitution. Equal protection and due process must apply to everyone, not just the housed or wealthy. Punishing people for sleeping outside when they have no other option targets circumstance, not crime. These laws also defy Christian morality. Scripture calls us to welcome the stranger, feed the hungry, and clothe the naked. Removing shelter, taking property, and abandoning the vulnerable is the opposite of Christ’s command to care for “the least of these.” Impact on Vulnerable Populations: • Women & Children: Often fleeing domestic violence; sweeps increase danger and trauma. • Families: Displacement harms children’s health, safety, and education. • Veterans: Service-related injuries and PTSD worsen without secure shelter. • People with Disabilities: Loss of accommodations and medical gear increases health risks. • Severe Mental Illness: Criminalization fuels crises, hospitalizations, and incarceration. • Survivors of Trauma: Sweeps re-trigger past abuse or war trauma. • Those Without Criminal Records: Most are not violent and are often victims of crime. These measures rely on harmful stereotypes or on fear—fear of poverty itself and the knowledge of how the poor are treated in America. They scatter people away from services, destroy IDs and medications, and create criminal records that deepen poverty. If we want safer, more beautiful communities, the solution is not to hide poverty but to end it. That requires housing-first strategies, mental health and substance use treatment, job training, and policies grounded in dignity and justice. I urge you to: • Publicly condemn the executive order and similar federal actions. • Repeal Des Moines’ no-camping bans and oppose any legislation criminalizing homelessness. • Advance solutions rooted in constitutional rights, compassion, and effective service delivery. We will be judged—by history, faith, and conscience—on how we treat the most vulnerable among us. These laws fail that test.