Aug. 25 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump signed executive orders Monday aiming to end "cashless bail" for those arrested in Washington, D.C., as well as one to make burning the American flag illegal.
The executive orders come after the president has taken over law enforcement in the district and has complained that the city's cashless bail program contributes to crime in the city, Axios News, NBC News and the New York Post reported.
Under cashless bail, a suspect doesn't have to pay money to be released from custody before trial. Trump previewed his support for ending cashless bail in the district earlier this month. When he announced his decision to federalize the D.C. Metro police force, he called the policy a "disaster." But analysts say these claims aren't supported by crime statistics, which show a small percentage of defendants are arrested for violent crimes while awaiting trial, Axios reported.
A White House official said the executive order could threaten to withhold federal funding or government-backed project approvals from Washington if it doesn't end its cashless-bail policy, as well as withold funds from other cities with cashless bail programs.
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