WASHINGTON — As hundreds of National Guard troops deployed on Tuesday in the nation's capital, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said homeless people in Washington, D.C., who refuse to move into shelters will face prosecution or fines.

"Homeless individuals will be given the option to leave their encampment, to be taken to a homeless shelter, to be offered addiction or mental health services," Leavitt said during a press briefing, when asked by NPR about the expanding crackdown. "If they refuse, they will be subjected to fines or jail time."

Maansi Srivastava / NPR / NPR

According to Leavitt, Metropolitan police and federal law enforcement agents in Washington will strictly enforce existing laws that force homeless people off the city's streets as part of an effort to "ma

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