Washington, D.C., May 10, 2025 — President Donald Trump has taken a bold step to address veteran homelessness, signing an executive order on Friday to establish the National Center for Warrior Independence in West Los Angeles. The initiative will redirect funds previously allocated for housing and services for illegal aliens to support homeless veterans, a move that has sparked both praise and debate amid the administration’s broader immigration crackdown.
The new center, to be built on the Veterans Affairs (VA) campus in West Los Angeles, aims to house up to 6,000 homeless veterans by 2028. Los Angeles currently has around 3,000 homeless veterans—more than any other U.S. city, accounting for roughly 10% of the nation’s total, according to the White House. Many live in dire conditions in the city’s infamous “Skid Row.” The center will focus on promoting self-sufficiency through housing, substance abuse treatment, and support for productive work, offering a lifeline to veterans struggling with homelessness.
Trump’s order reallocates funds that were previously spent on housing and services for illegal aliens, a decision rooted in his campaign promise to prioritize American citizens. During a 2023 Veterans Day speech in New Hampshire, Trump vowed to “cut off” such funding, criticizing the Biden administration for spending nearly $1 billion to house illegal aliens in hotels while 33,000 veterans remained homeless. The White House emphasized Trump’s commitment, stating, “President Trump strongly believes that every veteran deserves our gratitude, and that the federal government should treat veterans like the heroes they are.”
The executive order also includes measures to restore accountability at the VA. It directs VA Secretary Doug Collins to investigate the Biden administration’s decision to rehire employees previously fired for misconduct, redirecting any recovered funds to veteran care. Additionally, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development is tasked with using vouchers to support homeless veterans, ensuring broader access to housing resources.
Veterans’ advocates have largely welcomed the move. The Los Angeles-based Veterans Collective, which is already contracted to build 1,200 housing units on the campus, called the order a “huge win,” with plans to complete those units by the end of Trump’s term. Iraq War veteran Rob Reynolds, who has advocated for better housing on the VA campus, told the Los Angeles Times, “Just to know that there was an executive order signed for more housing on VA land, that’s something vets have been fighting for for years.”
However, the decision has drawn criticism from immigrant rights groups, who argue that redirecting funds pits vulnerable populations against each other. The Biden administration had allocated over $1 billion through FEMA to support illegal aliens, a policy Trump has repeatedly attacked as a misuse of taxpayer money. Critics also note that the VA’s West Los Angeles campus has long been mired in controversy, with a federal judge ruling in 2024 that the VA illegally leased parts of the land to private entities like UCLA’s baseball team, neglecting its duty to house veterans.
Trump’s order comes at a critical moment, as the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals is set to rule on the VA’s appeal of that decision, which mandated 1,800 units of permanent housing on the campus. The administration’s push to expand veteran housing aligns with Trump’s broader “America First” agenda, which includes a February 2025 executive order to end taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal aliens, redirecting resources to citizens in need.
While the initiative promises significant support for homeless veterans, questions remain about its implementation and the broader impact on immigrant communities. For now, Trump’s order signals a clear priority: putting veterans first in a city—and a nation—where too many have been left behind.
