Executive Order on Law Enforcement
and the Shadow of White Supremacy Culture
By:Vix Burgett-Prunty
On April 30, 2025, the White House issued an executive order titled Strengthening and Unleashing America’s Law Enforcement to Pursue Criminals and Protect Innocent Citizens. At first glance, it sounds like a standard tough-on-crime policy. But when you look closer, the language and intent of the order follow a familiar pattern, one that aligns with the values and tactics of white supremacy culture.
White supremacy culture isn’t just about hoods and hate groups. It’s embedded in systems that prioritize control, punishment, and the false division of people into "deserving" and "undeserving" categories. This executive order does exactly that. By calling for expanded police power, fewer restraints on law enforcement, and a focus on punitive measures over prevention, it reinforces structures that have historically targeted Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities.
Policing as Control, Not Safety
The order’s title alone frames law enforcement as the key to safety, ignoring the fact that over-policing has often made communities less safe. Phrases like “unleashing” law enforcement suggest removing accountability. A dangerous move in a system already plagued by racial bias. Studies show that aggressive policing disproportionately impacts people of color, from traffic stops to use of force. Instead of addressing these disparities, the order doubles down on the idea that more police power equals more security. But for whom?
Who Are the “Innocent Citizens”?
The order repeatedly mentions protecting “innocent citizens,” implying that others, those labeled criminals, are unworthy of protection. This is a classic tactic of white supremacy culture: dividing people into good vs. bad, deserving vs. undeserving. Historically, this framing has been used to justify everything from stop-and-frisk policies to mass incarceration. It ignores systemic factors like poverty, lack of education, and redlining, conditions created by racist policies, and instead blames individuals while empowering police to act without meaningful oversight.
The Myth of Law and Order
The executive order presents itself as a solution to crime, but it doesn’t address root causes. White supremacy culture thrives on punishment rather than repair. Instead of investing in community programs, mental health services, or economic opportunities, it funnels more resources into policing. This approach has failed before. The 1994 Crime Bill, for example, led to explosive growth in incarceration, especially for Black Americans, without making communities safer in the long run. This order risks repeating those mistakes.
What’s Missing? Accountability and Alternatives
Real safety doesn’t come from “unleashing” police, it comes from accountability, investment, and trust. The order doesn’t mention body cameras, independent oversight, or de-escalation training. It doesn’t propose solutions like restorative justice or community-led safety initiatives. Instead, it leans into the same punitive mindset that has fueled racial disparities in the justice system for decades.
Conclusion
Executive orders like this one don’t exist in a vacuum. They reflect deeper values, and when those values prioritize punishment over justice, control over equity, and division over repair, they align with white supremacy culture. If the goal were truly to protect all citizens, the focus would be on fixing broken systems, not expanding them. Until that happens, policies like this will keep recycling the same harmful patterns, just under a different name.