Trump's week in review: Targeting cash bail, firing Lisa Cook
2. Trump signs executive order targeting cashless bail
In another executive order also published Monday, Trump denounced city and state policies that allow the release of “individuals whose pending criminal charges or criminal history demonstrate a clear ongoing risk to society” without bail as they await trial.
The president directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to compile a list of states and localities that have “substantially eliminated cash bail as a potential condition of pretrial release from custody for crimes that pose a clear threat to public safety and order.”
Trump’s order also directs the heads of each executive branch agency to identify federal funds provided to such states and localities “that may be suspended or terminated, as appropriate and consistent with federal law,” establishing it as the policy of his administration “that Federal policies and resources should not be used to support jurisdictions with cashless bail policies, to the maximum extent permitted by law.”
The order adds that when those arrested for crimes including “violent, sexual, or indecent acts, or burglary, looting, or vandalism” are released without bail, “they are permitted — even encouraged — to further endanger law-abiding, hard-working Americans because they know our laws will not be enforced.”
“Our great law enforcement officers risk their lives to arrest potentially violent criminals, only to be forced to arrest the same individuals, sometimes for the same crimes, while they await trial on the previous charges,” Trump lamented. “This is a waste of public resources and a threat to public safety.
Trump characterized his efforts to end cashless bail as consistent with his push to establish “commonsense policies that protect Americans’ safety and well-being by incarcerating individuals who are known threats.”
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
