Washington – President Trump took executive measures on Monday threatening to reduce federal aid to cities and counties which offer a deposit without cash to criminal defendants, a decision that could place democratic jurisdictions across the country under additional financial pressure.
Trump’s first decree specifically targeted the practice of a deposit without species in the Columbia district, where the president sent troops from the National Guard to patrol the streets. His second action ordered the Ministry of Justice to draw up a list of jurisdictions which “considerably eliminated cash guarantee as a potential condition for crimes which constitute a clear threat to public security and order” – a list which would then be subject to federal funding reductions, said the White House.
“This is when the big crime in this country started,” said Trump. “That’s when it happened. Someone kills someone, they go and don’t worry – no money, will come back in a few months, we will give you a lawsuit. You never come back to the person again.”
“They thought it was discriminatory to make people put money because they had just killed three people lying on the street,” he added. “We finish there.”
Trump does not have the power to unilaterally modify the DC law. But administration officials hope that the threat of significant financial pressures on the city will force local legislators to change it themselves.
Likewise, his second order could ultimately lead to discounts of federal subsidies and contracts with the County of Los Angeles, where the courts only use a cash deposit in the most serious criminal affairs.
Studies have not shown any correlation between cash without species and an increase in crime.
In October 2023, almost everyone accused of non -violent crimes or crimes in the County of Los Angeles was cited and released or released on certain conditions after examining their case by a judge. The judge may offer other liberation conditions, including electronic surveillance or supervision of the house by probation officials.
“The ability of a person to pay a large sum of money should not be the determining factor to decide whether this person, who is presumed innocent, remains in prison before the trial or is released,” said Samantha Jessner, at the time.
A court spokesman said that recently published data have shown that the system “protects public security more effectively and provides a fairer and more rational alternative to the deposit of money”.
Certain defenders who have put pressure on the new policies of release under bond said they considered Trump’s decree as a purely reprisals against liberal politicians in the region.
“The County of the East in retaliation by President Trump for a certain number of reasons which have absolutely nothing to do with public security,” said Janet Asante, spokesperson for judge the coalition, who put pressure for the bond reform. “It doesn’t matter if the county of it had no surety or not, we are faced with significant budgetary reprisals of President Trump.”
County policy has proven controversial, certain cities saying that they thought that the lack of cash guarantee would make their communities less safe. Twelve county cities continued without success to block the reform of the surety without cash, arguing that this would lead to higher crime rates and would violate the court responsibilities to maintain public security. Sheriff Robert Luna told supervisors in 2023 that certain communities were alarmed by “lack of consequences for those who commit crimes”.
The sheriff’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comments.
Public defender Ricardo D. Garcia said he thought that the cash guarantee “punished people by keeping them in a cage simply because they could not afford to pay”.
“Although this does not directly have an impact on the county of the, I am deeply concerned about any policy which undermines efforts aimed at reducing preliminary incarceration and canceling progress towards a fairer criminal legal system,” Garcia said in a statement.
The county had initially started a zero box system during the pandemic to avoid overcrowding in prison. A report to the board of directors noted that cases of rearraration or non-comparison before the court remained relatively stable despite the change.
In the fall of 2022, six people continued the county and the city, arguing that they spent five days in detention only because they could not afford a deposit, leaving them in “dismal” conditions. The requirement for a cash deposit has created a “detention system based on wealth,” said the complainants. The prosecution led to a preliminary injunction unless the city and the county enforce the requirements in terms of cash guarantee for certain people who had not yet been charged.
Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill in 2018 to end cash in California. Voters stopped it after the surety bond industry has led a campaign to send the measure to voters. The referendum was defeated in 2020 with 56% “no” voting.
Trump has also signed an executive action ordering the Ministry of Justice to investigate and pursue individuals for burning the American flag, calling it an act of incentive, despite the previous permanent court that this is an expression of freedom of expression.
They were the latest stages in a series of executive actions by Trump proclaiming crime in the United States ostensibly, after the deployment of Marines by Trump and the National Guard in Los Angeles in June and its federalization of the National Guard in DC earlier this month.
He threatened to launch similar operations with federal forces in New York and Chicago, despite local officials told Trump administration that deployments are not necessary.
“They probably want it,” said Trump. “If we are not going to Los Angeles, you should have literally canceled the Olympic Games. It was so bad.”
Before the 2028 Olympic Games, which are held in Los Angeles, American cities should be “impeccable,” added Trump.
Wilner reported Washington, Ellis de Los Angeles.
