form of treatment. However, a significant portion — particularly those who are homeless, suffering from addiction, or recent immigrants — falls through the cracks. The National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) estimates that 30% of homeless individuals suffer from severe mental illness, and many cycle between the streets, jails, and short- term psychiatric holds. President Donald Trump claims


that the increase in violent crime attributed to the mentally ill can at least partially be linked to the rise in illegal immigrants who entered the country, due to former President Joe Biden’s weak immigration policy. The limited data available appears


to support his claim. A 2024 study published in ScienceDirect found that 25% of Latinx immigrants reported symptoms of post-traumatic stress dis- order, with 10% exhibiting signs of severe mental illness, which research- ers attribute in part to an uncertain political climate. While illegal immigration has con-


tributed to the recent rise, the increase in mental illness and violence has deep roots in America, with trauma and drug abuse believed to be primary causes. The Department of Veterans


Affairs estimates that 11%-20% of post-9/11 veterans suffer from PTSD, and those without adequate care risk spiraling into homelessness or sub- stance abuse.


Trump Acts to Curb Crisis


I


n his first months in ofice, President Donald Trump has


taken a dual approach to the surging violence among the mentally ill. He has advocated for


the revival of institutions to relocate the mentally ill to prevent them from committing acts of violence, while also seeking to reexamine pharmaceutical-based


Big Cities Bear Brunt


C


hicago has experienced a surge in crimes committed by suspects


exhibiting signs of mental illness. Police reports from 2024 noted a 15% increase in violent incidents involving suspects with documented mental health issues, often exacerbated by substance abuse, according to the Mental Health Advocacy Project. Los Angeles crimes involving the mentally ill have increased by over 338% since 2010, according to police department crime data. Nearly 50% of the 14,000 people currently incarcerated in the county’s jails suffer from some form of mental illness. Los Angeles also reported a 12% rise in aggravated assaults linked to mentally ill individuals from 2023 to 2024. New York City subways have seen


a surge in random attacks believed to be the result of a rise in mental illness, which has rattled straphangers. The New York Police Department recorded a 20% increase in assaults in 2024, with many perpetrators described as “emotionally disturbed persons.”


The National Institute on Drug


Abuse reports that 40% of individu- als with substance use disorders also have a co-occurring mental health condition. A 2024 New York Police Department report noted that 30% of assault suspects in Manhattan were under the influence of drugs or alco- hol, with many displaying signs of mental illness. Furthermore, the closure of large


treatment methods. In February, Trump signed an executive order establishing the Make America Healthy Again Commission, a cornerstone of his second-term policy aimed at addressing not only the epidemic of chronic illness caused by obesity, lifestyle choices, and poor diets, but also mental health disorders. Its mandate includes


analyzing psychiatric medications like selective


psychiatric hospitals in the mid-20th century, known as deinstitutionaliza- tion, left a significant gap in the sys- tem — many individuals who would have been institutionalized now cycle through jails, where their conditions deteriorate. According to Donald Whitehead,


executive director of the NCH, the mental institutions were replaced by a criminal justice system unequipped to handle medical issues on the scale being witnessed today. “Something needs to fill the void of deinstitutionalization — what materi- alized is a portion of the street popu- lation being people that would have been in those facilities that were taken away,” Whitehead told Newsmax. “The numbers keep growing


because all we have in most commu- nities is an emergency mental health bed, and if a patient is not deemed a threat to themselves or others, they are released after 72 hours, making it a revolving door.” For decades, federal and local gov- ernments have invested billions of dollars into finding a solution, often relying on increased treatments with pharmaceutical products — specifical- ly, selective serotonin reuptake inhibi- tors (SSRIs), which address mental health conditions by raising serotonin levels in the brain. Despite increased usage of antide- pressants, the number of those afflict- ed continues to rise.


serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), antipsychotics, and stimulants. The order also emphasizes


preventive measures and educational programs while seeking to eliminate corporate influence in health research. Health and Human


Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says the nation is in desperate need of a more holistic approach to reverse the damage. “The mental health crisis


is exploding because we’re poisoning our kids with chemicals, pesticides, and junk food,” said Kennedy. “We’re giving


antidepressants to kids like candy, and they’re not even safe,” he added. “SSRIs are more addictive than heroin in some cases, and they’re linked to suicidal thoughts and violent behavior. “Fix the food, clean up the


environment, and you’ll see depression and anxiety drop.”


JUNE 2025 | NEWSMAX 7


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