Former President Donald Trump is sharing his platform on homelessness.
In a video released by his campaign, Trump criticized many cities' policies on homelessness for "making many suffer for the whims of a deeply unwell few."
"Our once great cities have become unlivable, unsanitary nightmares surrendered to the homeless, the drug addicted and the violent and the dangerously deranged. We're making many suffer for the whims of a deeply unwell few," he said. "The homeless have no right to turn every sidewalk and park into a place for them to squat and do drugs. Americans should not have to step over piles of needles and waste as they walk down a street."
The former president went on to say "our first consideration should be the rights and safety of the hardworking, law-abiding citizens who make our society function," and then laid out his plan for tackling the issue if he gets reelected.
Trump said he would "ban urban camping" and create "tent cities" on "inexpensive land" for homeless people that will be staffed with doctors and social workers to help people address systemic problems. He went on to explain, "many of them don't want that, but we will give them the option."
"Under my strategy working with states, we will ban urban camping where ever possible. Violators of these bans will be arrested but they will be given the option to accept treatment and services if they're willing to be rehabilitated," he said. "For those who are just temporarily down on their luck, we will work to help them quickly reintegrate into a normal life. For those who have addiction, substance abuse and common mental health problems, we will get them into treatment. And for those who are severely mentally ill and deeply disturbed, we will bring them back to mental institutions where they belong."
Trump said we could take care of every homeless veteran in the country "for a small fraction of what we spend on Ukraine."
"We will use every tool, lever and authority to get the homeless off our streets. We want to take care of them, but they have to be off our streets," he said. "There's nothing compassionate about letting these individuals live in filth and squalor rather than getting them the help that they need."
According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, nearly 600,000 people across the country experienced homelessness in 2022. Many cities and states have laws prohibiting homeless encampments, the organization says.
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