- Trump Civil Commitment Executive Order + DC: Unhoused People Threatened
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After 60 Years, Medicaid Now Faces Historic Rollbacks
- Assaults on Federal Health Agencies: Shootings and Cuts
- Immigrant Patients and Access to Care
- Three New Executive Actions
- What (Else) We’re Reading
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Civil Commitment Executive Order + DC: Unhoused People Threatened |
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After signing the Civil Commitment Executive Order (EO) on homelessness, mental health, and substance use, President Trump quickly turned his attention to Washington, DC. In a second EO, “Declaring a Crime Emergency in the District of Columbia,” he announced the federal government was taking control of the Capital to address “rising violence” and “lawlessness” (despite DC crime rates being historically low). In the press conference, President Trump announced “this will go further,” calling out 5 other cities – Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Baltimore, and Oakland – with reports indicating Chicago could be next.
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Trump demanded people experiencing homelessness “immediately” leave the city and be relocated “far” away.
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The Administration threated to fine or arrest those remaining on the streets, raising concern among people experiencing homelessness and advocates.
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Police have begun clearing encampments, however, no hospitalizations or institutionalizations have been reported so far.
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Listen to this 5-minute NPR interview with NHCHC Board Member, Dr. Catherine Crosland, a physician serving DC’s unhoused population for many years.
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The new Executive Order threatens real lives and people’s safety. In this month’s Closer Look blog, hear directly from community members grappling with the news and explore three ways to take action:
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- Advocate with state and local lawmakers
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Spread the word and prepare your community
- Join local protests
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After 60 Years, Medicaid Now Faces Historic Rollbacks |
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July marked Medicaid’s 60th anniversary and the beginning of historic cuts to the program which the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates will result in 10 million people losing coverage over the next ten years. The impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act means these health care cuts will be felt nationwide, including in states that did not expand Medicaid who are also expected to see large losses of health insurance coverage. See our fact sheet (text box) to learn more about how the new law will be devastating for the HCH community.
Here’s what’s at risk:
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- Threats to Community Health Centers: State budget cuts could force state lawmakers to limit eligibility and discontinue services, severely impacting CHCs.
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Disproportionate harm to people of color: Cuts to Medicaid will result in widespread harm to communities of color where nearly 30% of individuals depend on Medicaid.
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Rural Communities: With 380 rural hospitals at risk of closure, rural health systems face severe strain. The Rural Health Transformation fund will do little to help.
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The provisions for Medicaid cuts will begin rolling out over the next few years, but states and people are already beginning to act:
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States Bracing: North Carolina decided not to fund statewide scaling of its Healthy Opportunities Program in anticipation of funding shortfalls, a sign of potential 1115 waiver cuts nationwide.
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Health care for all…?: Advocates are pushing for new state-based single payer health care via ballot initiatives, hoping for a different outcome than Colorado’s failed 2016 attempt.
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Doctors fight back: In response to health care cuts, doctors across the country have decided to run for Congress, centering their campaigns on health care policies.
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We will be issuing an advocacy agenda SOON designed to help lessen the harms of the Medicaid cuts. In the meantime, use the resources below to learn what changes are coming and how you can encourage your state lawmakers to take the least harmful approach to Medicaid cuts.
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Assaults on Federal Health Agencies: Shootings and Cuts |
CDC shooting intensifies worker trauma: A fatal shooting at the CDC has left employees traumatized and outraged. Following the attack, more than 750 current and former workers signed a letter accusing Secretary RFK Jr of “dismantling America’s public health infrastructure and endangering the nation’s health.” They say these actions have contributed to the harassment and violence against staff. Capturing the fear and outrage, one CDC employee shared this sentiment:
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"Public health is political because health is shaped by power and policy. The danger lies not in public health’s politics, but in its exploitation as a partisan weapon. When it is twisted into a tool for deepening partisan divides, it ceases to serve the public. Over the past five years, we’ve seen the consequences of that, from the undermining of pandemic response, to attacks on local health officials, to the August 8th shooting at the CDC.”
- Anonymous Mobilizer-reading CDC Employee
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Leadership in shambles: The newly appointed Director of CDC, Susan Monarez, was ousted and several other high level CDC officials resigned last week citing concerns over vaccine decisions that threaten public health and ignore science. In protest to the chaos, the next day, dozens of CDC staffers staged a walk out.
- HRSA staffing cuts: More than 25% of HRSA staff have been fired or resigned since February, raising concerns about potential delays in grant administration and health center operations.
- Funding slashed:
- $783 million in cuts to health research funding linked to DEI has been okayed by the Supreme Court, allowing the administration to move forward with cuts that threaten to reverse progress in public health.
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$500 million in cuts to mRNA vaccine projects jeopardize future pandemic preparedness and may cost lives.
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$10 million of already-paid-for contraceptive supplies meant for women and girls in Sub-Saharan Africa will be burned, rather than distributed, costing taxpayers $167,000.
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Red states are seeing far greater impacts of CDC grant cuts than blue states because they chose not to file lawsuits.
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Some good news: Court challenges and Congressional appropriations have temporarily stalled the administration’s attempts to restructure HHS.
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Immigrant Patients and Access to Care |
Immigrant communities are facing increased attacks, particularly in accessing health care. These actions, combined with ongoing ICE/immigration raids, are driving immigrant patients away from care leading many providers to rely on telehealth to reach patients. Pediatricians are sharing heart breaking stories about the new reality of their appointments: planning guardianship to protect children of immigrants if their parents face deportation. One doctor shared why it’s necessary for health care professionals to protect children:
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“Health care workers are in a very unique and opportune position … to support families in guidance, to do it with compassion and to really advocate for safeguarding children and to help families navigate this uncertainty.”
– Gutierrez, CNN article
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CMS crackdown: States must now perform monthly verification of the citizenship or immigration status of Medicaid and CHIP enrollees and report those who could not be verified to CMS.
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Data Risks. A federal judge has temporarily halted state health departments from sharing the personal data of Medicaid enrollees, but only in the 20 states which were included in the lawsuit.
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Public benefits rule delayed: HHS has paused enforcement and application of the directive banning certain immigrants from health center services through September 10, 2025 in all states.
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Three New Executive Actions
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New Executive Order: Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking
On August 7, the Trump administration announced that the head of each federal agency will be required to designate a senior political appointee to oversee the discretionary grant process. The appointee will have complete, final say over process, including which NOFOs are released and the activities they are funding, which applicants receive funds, and whether and when to terminate an award.
New Executive Order: Taking Steps to End Cashless Bail to Protect Americans On August 25, the Trump administration has requested that, within 30 days, the Attorney General submit a list of states and jurisdictions that have “substantially eliminated cash bail.” The head of each agency will then need to identify federal funds provided to cashless bail jurisdictions to either terminate or suspend.
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What (Else) We're Reading |
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| Laura Brennan
Senior Policy Manager
National Health Care for the Homeless Council
lbrennan@nhchc.org
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| Your support is crucial!
All our advocacy work — including this newsletter! — is funded by dues from NHCHC's members and private donations. Consider joining the Council or donating to support this work!
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Copyright © 2025 National Health Care for the Homeless Council, Inc.
www.nhchc.org | (615) 226-2292
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