President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday aimed at ending federal support for cashless bail policies, according to a White House press release.
The order directs the Attorney General to compile a list of jurisdictions with cashless bail policies and instructs agencies to identify federal funding streams that may be suspended or terminated.
The move fulfills a campaign promise by Trump, who has repeatedly criticized bail reform efforts as dangerous to public safety. “When I’m reelected, I will crack down on the left-wing jurisdictions that refuse to prosecute dangerous criminals and set loose violent felons on cashless bail,” Trump said in the release.
According to the White House, a 2023 study from Yolo County, California, found its “Zero Bail” policy resulted in a 163% increase in rearrests overall and a 200% increase in violent crime rearrests compared to defendants who posted bail. However, The New York Times cited a 2024 study that found “there was no change in fatal and nonfatal gun violence in New Jersey after substantial declines in jail incarceration under bail reform” in the state in 2017. New York and New Jersey are two of more than a dozen states with cashless bail policies.
An article published by the White House described cashless bail as a “government-backed crime spree,” citing several high-profile cases to support its position.
The White House highlighted several examples of crimes tied to cashless bail, including:
- In 2022, a New York man executed a woman in front of her three children less than 24 hours after being released without bail for assaulting the same woman. He had a prior conviction for kidnapping his ex-girlfriend at gunpoint.
- A suspected Tren de Aragua gang member freed without bail after an attempted murder charge in New York, later rearrested for drug trafficking in Miami and ultimately held on sex-trafficking charges involving a minor.
- A repeat offender with 47 prior arrests and 28 convictions released without bail in New York.
- A homicide suspect in Rockford, Illinois, who walked free under the state’s no-cash-bail system earlier this year.
- Two convicted killers caught dealing drugs in broad daylight who were released without bail in New York City earlier this month.
The White House argued such policies force police to repeatedly arrest the same individuals, wasting resources and endangering communities.
The executive order represents the latest step in Trump’s law-and-order agenda since returning to office. Earlier this month, he mobilized the National Guard and took control of the D.C. Metro Police Department.
Cashless bail policies have gained traction in recent years as reformers argue the traditional system unfairly penalizes poor defendants who cannot afford bond. Critics like Trump contend the reforms allow dangerous criminals to reoffend while awaiting trial.