On Monday, President Donald Trump called for an end to cashless bail, pointing to rising crime rates in U.S. cities and a surge in attacks on law enforcement.
He stated, “Crime in American cities began to rise significantly when we went on cashless bail. The worst criminals flood our towns and put even our great law enforcement officers in danger.” He labeled the situation a “complete disaster” that needs immediate attention.
This statement coincided with a press conference held by Christa Noem from the Department of Homeland Security in New York City. Noem addressed the recent shooting of a customs and border guard and pointed out that the suspect was a previously deported individual with an extensive criminal record. She noted that he had faced serious charges in Massachusetts and had been arrested multiple times in New York City for various offenses.
Noem criticized the border policies enacted under former President Joe Biden and the sanctuary city policies in places like New York City, Boston, Los Angeles, and Chicago, especially in light of recent shootings.
“When I see what Mayor Adams did to New York City, seeing families suffering because of his policies breaks my heart,” she said, adding that mayors across the country have faced similar challenges.
New York City’s Mayor Eric Adams, who has a background in law enforcement, has been vocal against the cashless bail laws established in 2019 under then-Governor Andrew Cuomo. Even though amendments have been made to allow for more judicial discretion, Adams argues that these reforms have led to higher recidivism rates, with criminals being repeatedly arrested and released. He is set to face Cuomo in the upcoming mayoral election, where both are running as independent candidates, while democratic socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani leads the pack with proposals like abolishing all cash bail and closing prisons.
During his time in office, Cuomo endorsed measures that discouraged collaboration between state agencies and U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE). Adams defended New York City’s sanctuary status initially but later criticized the Biden administration’s handling of illegal immigration, collaborating with Trump’s former border commander, Tom Homan, on immigration enforcement.
Recently, it was reported that ICE officials have faced an alarming 830% increase in assaults during the first half of Trump’s term compared to the previous year.
In Illinois, cash bail was completely eliminated in 2023 under the Safe-T Act, supported by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, according to local reports.
Meanwhile, former and current police officers in the Chicago area denounced the Safe-T Act on FOX 32, arguing that the removal of cash bail would only benefit criminals and undermine police safety.
In Los Angeles County, a new protocol known as the “Previous Exile Release Protocol (PARP)” was introduced in October 2023, which eliminates cash bail for most non-violent crimes. This change has led to several lawsuits from 12 cities concerned about public safety risks. However, the Los Angeles County Superior Court defended this protocol, stating that it allows for individual risk assessments based on a suspect’s criminal history, potential flight risk, and the severity of the crime.
