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Earlier this week, in a baffling set of independent announcements by the City and State, we heard about the sweeping of dozens of homeless encampments in Austin.
Gov. Greg Abbott announced news of 48 homeless encampments being swept in Austin by the Department of Public Safety and the Texas National Guard. Like Trump did in Washington D.C., they took actions out of the hands of our local service providers who are trying to help people, and instead drove cruelty and harm. Abbott is yet again using poor people for political points while doing nothing to solve homelessness.
While billions are poured into border patrol, policing, and incarceration, thousands of Texans still struggle without access to housing, health care, and services. Meanwhile, Abbott supports Trump’s agenda to slash funding for housing, Medicaid, and SNAP– the few lifelines that are available for low-income Texans.
In response to the State’s harmful actions, the City of Austin could have helped the dozens of people that had been swept and lost medications, identifications, survival gear, received tickets or ended up in jail. But instead they released a memo outlining a separate three week plan to sweep camps across Austin, without notifying many of the City Council offices, community services providers, or people living in camps – adding more chaos during an already chaotic and dangerous moment for people living on our streets.
Whether it’s the local, state, or the federal government – sweeping homeless encampments and ticketing and arresting people who can’t afford a place to live, won’t solve homelessness – it only compounds the crisis for everyone.
We will not comply with cruelty.
We’ll keep fighting for housing, healthcare, and the dignity every person deserves.
Are you ready to join us? | 
