Abbott Orders State Sweep of Austin Encampments

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered a state-led operation, led by the Department of Public Safety with support from TxDOT, the Texas State Guard and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, to clear homeless encampments in and around Austin citing public-safety concerns such as weapons, needles and debris. State officials say the sweep began late last week, is ongoing, and has cleared 48 encampments, removed about 3,000 pounds of debris, seized narcotics, and arrested 24 people described as repeat felony offenders, with reports of 10 people having outstanding warrants. The state operation did not coordinate with city officials; Austin said it was running its own Citywide Encampment Management Prioritization Initiative and had cleared 46 sites while focusing on connecting people to shelter and services. Austin leaders, including Mayor Kirk Watson, acknowledged some benefit from state resources but expressed concern about where displaced people will go and urged more funding and humane, long-term solutions. Homelessness advocates cautioned that criminalizing encampments can push people out of sight and create barriers to housing, while state officials framed the actions as part of a broader public-safety emphasis and released video showing arrests and cleanup activity.