Where Are They Taking the Homeless? — And Why You Should Be Outraged

Where Are They Taking the Homeless? — And Why You Should Be Outraged © 2025 Santiago D.C. Maria. All Rights Reserved Let’s talk about something uncomfortable — because that’s where truth lives. Have you stopped to ask yourself: Where are they taking the homeless? Seriously. When a city criminalizes sleeping in public, where do they expect people with no homes to sleep? On a cloud? Let’s stop pretending homelessness is a crime. It’s not. But across America, it's being treated like one. And the so-called “land of the free” is making it criminal to be poor, cold, sick, and forgotten. Criminalizing Poverty, One City at a Time As of now, 48 states — yes, forty-eight — have laws that criminalize being homeless. Whether it’s sleeping, sitting, camping, or even existing in public spaces, these laws target the most vulnerable. Oregon and Wyoming are the only two that haven’t stooped this low... yet. In 2024, the Supreme Court — yes, that Supreme Court — decided cities have the right to ban public camping even if there’s no available shelter. So if you’re homeless and the shelter’s full? Too bad. You can be fined, arrested, and thrown in jail for trying to survive. That’s not justice — that’s a war on the poor. Let’s Name Names Fremont, California: In 2025, the city made it illegal to camp in public. Get caught? That’s a $1,000 fine or jail time. Oh — and if you dare help someone without a home? You might get punished too. Helping the homeless is now illegal. Sounds like something out of a dystopian novel, doesn’t it? Florida: Because Florida just had to out-Florida itself, they passed a law banning public sleeping statewide. Counties are required to set up “designated encampments” (read: government-approved ghettos) or face legal action. Oh, and they threw a pitiful $30 million at the problem like a cheap bandage on a bullet wound. Kentucky: 2025 brought us a law in Kentucky criminalizing urban camping. But cities like Louisville tried to soften the blow with “homeless courts” that supposedly offer housing and treatment options. A better idea, sure — but why are we funneling people through the criminal justice system for being poor in the first place? After the Arrest — Then What? So what happens after the handcuffs? People are processed like criminals — fingerprinted, jailed, thrown into a court system that has no real answers. And when they’re released? Good luck. There’s often zero coordination with social services. They’re sent right back to the streets, stripped of what little they had — if their belongings weren’t already trashed during the arrest. It’s a vicious loop. Arrest, release, repeat. Like the system is designed for failure. Oh wait — it is. Let’s Get Real About What’s Happening People are dying. Mary Faith Casey died in a Pima County jail from starvation in 2022. She had mental health issues and was denied proper care. Her crime? Being mentally ill and homeless. That’s what we’ve come to. People are being robbed. During sweeps and arrests, people lose their IDs, medications, clothes — everything they need to survive and get back on their feet. Tell me how that helps. Go ahead. I’ll wait. Communities of color are targeted. Black Americans are massively overrepresented in the homeless population and are arrested at higher rates for these so-called "crimes." It’s not just poverty. It’s systemic. It’s racism wrapped in a legal disguise. There Are Better Ways — If Anyone Cares Enough Diversion Programs like LEAD get people the help they need instead of throwing them behind bars. Housing First Initiatives focus on getting people into stable homes first — because surprise: people don’t get better on the streets. Cleveland’s “A Home for Every Neighbor” program housed 150 people already. That’s what compassion looks like. That’s what works. But let’s be real — these programs are the exception, not the rule. Most cities still choose punishment over partnership. Why? Because punishment makes money. Compassion doesn’t. Here's the truth: You can’t arrest away homelessness. You can’t ticket trauma. You can’t criminalize poverty and pretend it’s justice. You can’t sweep human beings like trash and expect peace. America needs to stop acting like homelessness is a nuisance to be removed. It’s a symptom of a broken system — and that system is us. If you’re still cheering on these laws, maybe take a long, hard look at yourself in the mirror — and don’t flinch when it looks back. To Trump’s “law and order” fans: You’re really out here clapping for billionaires while cheering the arrests of homeless veterans. Real patriots, huh? Bless your little “bruit” hearts. — © 2025 Santiago D.C. Maria. All Rights Reserved Truth doesn’t apologize. Keep watching. Keep questioning. Keep speaking. #HousingIsAHumanRight #StopCriminalizingPoverty #JusticeForTheUnseen #ThisIsAmerica? #UnhousedNotUnworthy #SweepTheCorruptionNotThePeople —