Louisiana Governor signs one of the country’s cruelest anti-homeless laws
Last week, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed one of the cruelest anti-homeless bills in the country into law. HB 211 will make it a crime to sleep outside in Louisiana, punishing homeless people with extreme fines and draconian jail sentences, while also setting the stage for forced treatment and even forced labor.
This bill did not come out of nowhere. Across the country, we’re seeing a coordinated effort – led by the Palantir-funded, billionaire-backed Cicero Institute and taken up by the Trump administration – to arrest and jail people simply because they can’t afford the rent. Cicero has praised and supported this horrific version of its copy-paste legislation, and Gov. Landry, a supporter of the president, has cited Trump’s anti-homeless policies to justify his support for this bill.
While billionaires and right-wing politicians were clearly against us, our side spoke up strongly to advocate for housing, not handcuffs. Over 700 people in Louisiana contacted their representatives urging them to oppose this bill, and dozens showed up to committee hearings to voice their outrage at this ineffective and cruel bill. Our powerful advocacy changed the landscape: we turned this bill’s success from a foregone conclusion into a controversial fight – because most people know that forcing someone to work without pay just because they are homeless is far too extreme.
Regardless, we know this bill will have a devastating impact on Louisiana. Louisiana is already the incarceration capital of the world and one of the poorest states in the country, with nearly one in five residents unable to make ends meet. Instead of helping people living in poverty get the housing and support they need, Louisiana will funnel homeless people into its already infamous and overcrowded jails. And with homelessness disproportionately affecting Black Louisianians, this bill is strongly reminiscent of the state’s history with chain gangs, debtors’ prisons, and convict leasing.
The fight for housing, not handcuffs, is far from over. Together, we will continue building the power needed to defeat this cruel agenda and win a future where everyone has a safe place to call home, from Louisiana to everywhere across America.
