Rashida Tlaib's new 'Unhoused Bill of Rights' would protect homeless camping
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., introduced legislation last week that would significantly expand rights for the homeless and overhaul how the government treats Americans living on the streets by siphoning billions...
By Fox News · Fox News
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., introduced legislation last week that would significantly expand rights for the homeless and overhaul how the government treats Americans living on the streets by siphoning billions from defense spending. The "Unhoused Persons Bill of Rights" calls for government-led intervention to end homelessness over the next three years and introduces more than a dozen protections for homeless people. If passed, Tlaib 's legislation would include freedom of movement for homeless people in public spaces, affordable housing, "livable" wages, universal healthcare and panhandling. Under the resolution, homeless individuals would have the "right to uninhibited access" to public parks, transportation, facilities, sidewalks, buildings, restrooms and other spaces — meaning they could legally set up camp in such public spaces. LEFTIST LAWMAKERS WANT TO MAKE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS A NATIONWIDE CRISIS The homeless population would also be given the right to internet access and the necessary technology to achieve that. A spokesperson for Tlaib did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment regarding how that provision would work in practice. While the resolution is nonbinding, meaning it does not carry the force of law, Tlaib’s recommendations indicate how the left could push for changes to homeless policy if Democrats retake power in Washington after the 2026 midterms. Tlaib's proposal would, however, grant the homeless population "freedom from harassment" by law enforcement, private businesses, property owners and "housed residents." Specifically, homeless individuals would be given protections against "banishment" from private property, which the Michigan Democrat's measure characterizes as a violation of an individual’s "fundamental civil and human rights." The homeless population grew to more than 771,000 in January 2024, its highest-ever recorded level, according to a Housing and Urban Development (HUD) report released that year. EX-…