Opinion articles provide independent perspectives on key community issues, separate from our newsroom reporting.

Letters to the Editor

City’s homeless really are refugees

I see the homeless as America’s refugees. Refugees are documented they have to provide information to enter into a new country. But the homeless people in America are undocumented refugees in their own country.

How does a city begin to address the homeless problem if it is not documenting first who they are, where they live, if they are homeless by choice, mental issues or unable to cope with job loss or no income?

Because homelessness is increasing, moving them by cleaning out their encampments is just a Band-aid to a huge problem. It’s sad to see encampments of homeless people in America and in our own county.

Lena Garcia, Clovis

This story was originally published December 20, 2015 at 10:28 AM with the headline "City’s homeless really are refugees."

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