Tens of thousands of American military veterans — more than 30,000 in total — are currently living without a home, and the people who work to help them are wrestling with a difficult question: what happens when government policy works against the very people it claims to protect?
The Trump Administration has put forward promises of new housing opportunities for veterans experiencing homelessness. However, at the same time, one of the president’s executive orders takes aim at homeless people more broadly — creating a tension that outreach workers say puts vulnerable veterans in a complicated position.
Those who work on the front lines of homeless veteran outreach are now weighing the potential consequences of policies that could force individuals to accept assistance rather than allowing them to seek help voluntarily.
