In a recent Facebook video, U.S. Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) recounted a personal experience to highlight her views on public safety, stating: “When my house was broken into a few years ago, I would have done anything to protect my kids.”
She used the anecdote to introduce a broader message: that Democrats should not “shy away” from conversations about safety and security, but instead focus on solutions rooted in social support.
“What does it look like when we do care about these things?” she said. “It means making sure people have safe and affordable housing… making sure [they] can go to the doctor… and making sure I can send my kids to school without worrying that they’re going to be shot.”
Balint went on to criticize the Trump administration’s approach to crime, accusing it of “perverting and abusing our own concerns about safety,” and “using the Guard to intimidate us.”
Her message was framed around portraying the Trump administration as exploiting Americans’ safety concerns in an authoritarian way — a theme aimed at mobilizing Democrats with an alternate vision centered on housing, health care, and school safety. But the gap between the crime she described and the solutions she proposed has drawn scrutiny, especially when placed alongside her legislative record.
D.C. Surge Reduced Crime Dramatically
Balint’s video came shortly after a federally led crime crackdown in Washington, D.C. that produced substantial results.
Beginning August 7, 2025, the Trump administration deployed approximately 2,000 National Guard troops and federal law enforcement agents to D.C. Within weeks:
- Violent crime fell by nearly 45%
- Carjackings dropped 85%
- Robberies declined 62%
- Homicides fell 38%
The Metropolitan Police Department’s dashboards confirmed these drops, and even D.C.’s Democratic mayor, Muriel Bowser, acknowledged that the surge coincided with major safety gains.
While Balint called the move “authoritarian,” many residents interviewed by local and national outlets expressed relief at feeling safer in public spaces.
Voting Record Shows Pattern of Opposition to Crime-Focused Measures
In Congress, Balint has consistently voted against legislation aimed at drug trafficking, repeat violent offenders, and law enforcement support. Her recent votes include:
- Laken Riley Act (S. 5, 2025): No.
- HALT Fentanyl Act (2023: H.R. 467; 2025: S. 331): No votes on both.
- Keeping Violent Offenders Off Our Streets Act (H.R. 8205, 2024): No.
- Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act (H.R. 30, 2025): No.
- Detain and Deport Illegal Aliens Who Assault Cops Act (H.R. 7343, 2024): No.
- Resolutions expressing support for law enforcement officers and condemning efforts to defund or dismantle local law enforcement (2023 & 2024): No votes on both.
Each bill passed the House, in some cases with bipartisan backing.
Drug Use and Burglary: The Documented Connection
Federal data reinforce that the type of crime Balint described — a burglary — is often driven not by housing insecurity, but by addiction and repeat offending:
- The National Institute of Justice reports that drug use is a major motivator for burglary, with many offenders breaking into homes to fund substance use.
- The Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates that around 75% of property crimes are committed by individuals with a substance use disorder.
- Recidivism is especially high for burglary: roughly 74% of released offenders are rearrested within three years.
While Balint supports decriminalizing possession of small personal-use amounts of drugs—including fentanyl and heroin, as she stated during her 2022 debate with Molly Gray—this does not interrupt the cycle of addiction-driven property crime.
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Gun Laws and Self-Defense Access
Balint has said she was “instrumental in helping to pass” Vermont’s current gun laws during her time in the state Senate. Those include:
- A 72-hour or 7-business-day waiting period on firearm purchases.
- A minimum purchase age of 21, with exceptions for military, law enforcement, or those with hunter-safety certification.
- A safe-storage requirement for firearms in homes where minors or prohibited persons may be present.
In practical terms, a Vermonter under 21 cannot legally purchase a handgun from a dealer, and may only buy a rifle or shotgun if they’ve completed an approved hunter safety course. While that course is now available online for adults, it still adds a time and certification barrier to defensive ownership. For individuals living alone in an apartment or vulnerable situation, this restriction may be significant.
Balint has also publicly called for reinstating the federal assault weapons ban and is an original cosponsor of related legislation, stating that ‘weapons of war’ have no place in communities. If enacted, such a ban would further limit what under-21 Vermonters could legally purchase—leaving only bolt-action rifles, lever-actions, or shotguns as viable defensive options, thus barring both handguns and semi-automatic rifles for Vermonters under 21.
Local Safety Priorities: Brattleboro Case Study
In Balint’s hometown of Brattleboro, the town government moved in August 2024 to increase police staffing and open a new downtown station. The decision followed a reported 16% spike in serious calls for service, including assaults, burglaries, and suspected drug activity.
At the time, local leaders said they didn’t have enough officers to meet growing safety demands. That move — more patrols, not fewer — directly contrasts with Balint’s rhetorical emphasis on non-policing safety interventions.
A Clear Gap Between Anecdote and Action
Balint’s use of a personal burglary story is emotionally compelling. Her broader message — that safety includes stable housing and health care — aligns with long-standing progressive priorities.
But when measured against the hard facts of how burglary occurs, what drives it, and how it is deterred, her legislative and policy choices do not appear to reduce the likelihood of that crime occurring again — for her or for other Vermonters.
Her opposition to fentanyl scheduling, enhanced law enforcement support, and criminal detention measures stands in contrast to both local efforts in her hometown, state, and the nationally documented results of targeted law enforcement actions in D.C.
While she says she would “do anything” to protect her kids, the tools she continues to support do not align with what the data suggest actually keeps Vermont homes safe.
Dave Soulia | FYIVT
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