AINSLEY: THE CITY OF AUSTIN,
TEXAS, LOOK AT THIS, IT’S NOW
FLOODED WITH HOMELESS PEOPLE
CREATING A CRISIS THE LIKES OF
WHICH RESIDENTS SAY THEY HAVE
NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
AND IT ALL STARTED WHEN AUSTIN’S
MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL
MEMBERS THEY VOTED TO END THAT
BAN ON PUBLIC ENCAMPMENTS.
THAT HAPPENED BACK IN 2019.
"FOX & FRIENDS" ENTERPRISE
REPORTER LAWRENCE JONES WENT TO
SEE THE CONDITIONS FIRSTHAND AND
HE JOINS US NOW.
LAWRENCE, YOU ARE FROM TEXAS,
I’M SURE THIS IS HEART BREAKING
FOR YOU.
>> YEAH, BORN AND RAISED.
I THINK THE SENTIMENT THAT YOU
ARE STARTING TO SEE IS YOU HAVE
THESE FOLKS THAT HAVE MOVED FROM
CALIFORNIA TO EVADE THIS SAME PROBLEM THERE AND NOW IT’S
PROBLEM THERE AND NOW IT’S
SHOWING UP IN TEXAS YOU.
I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL
TO TEXAS TO SEE HOW IT’S
IMPACTING THEM.
>> CAME OUT TO HAVE SOME FUN.
>> IT’S A GREAT TIME.
EVERYBODY IS SAFE.
>> IT’S AMERICA, IT’S MY HOME.
♪
LAWRENCE: THIS USED TO BE ONE OF
THE CROWNED JEWELS OF AUSTIN.
AS YOU CAN SEE A CAMP CITY.
>> I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS
BEFORE.
>> I’M A DEMOCRAT BUT I HAVE
LEARNED MY LESSON.
>> I’M FREAKED OUT.
SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE.
>> TWO YEARS AGO THE CITY
COUNCIL GOT RID OF AN ORDINANCE
THAT BAND CAMPING ON PUBLIC
LANDS.
RESULT 11% INCREASE IN THE
HOMELESS POPULATION.
>> YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE
ASSAULTED.
PEOPLE WHO ARE ROBBED WE HAVE
HAD HOME INVASIONS.
>> ONE NIGHT I WAS AT MY
NEIGHBOR’S HOUSE AND CLEANING
THEIR GUNS.
>> YOU FOUND NEEDLES, ON THE
FLOOR.
I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT IT WAS.
I PICKED IT UP.
>> AUSTIN IS STARTING TO LOOK
LIKE SKID ROW.
>> THAT’S THE LAST THING I WANT
TO SEE HAPPEN.
>> THE GUY IS WALKING AROUND
WITH A MACHETE THREATENING
PEOPLE.
>> HE STARTED WITH BOX CUTTERS
AS A WEAPON NOW SADRY WE JOKE
THAT WE ARE THE MACHETE CAPITAL
OF TEXAS.
>> THIS MAY THE CITY RESIDENTS
GOT THEIR VOICE BACK WHEN THEY
VOTED IN A LANDSLIDE VICTORY TO
REINSTATE PROP B.
WHAT IS THE CITY LEADERSHIP
DOING HERE IN AUSTIN.
>> THE CITY OF AUSTIN LETS THEM
DOING WHATEVER THEY WANT.
DO THEIR DRUGS AND LEAVE NEEDLES
FOR.
YOU ARE HARBORING DRUGS?
WILL THAT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE.
AND WE AS A PEOPLE AND A CITIZEN
ARE LEFT TO FEND FOR OURSELVES.
>> DO YOU WANT THAT TO BE THE
IMKNOWLEDGE OF AUSTIN?
>> ONE OF THE REASONS I DON’T
LIKE THAT IMAGE IS BECAUSE I
DON’T THINK IT’S TRUE.
>> A GUY IS WALKING AROUND RIGHT
OUTSIDE OF CITY HALL WITH A THAT
MAMMA CHETY, THREATENING PEOPLE.
THAT’S BREAKING THE LAW.
>> AND WE ARE DEALING WITH THAT
WITH A TOUGH CHALLENGE.
>> THEY VOTED TO DEFUND THE
POLICE LAST YEAR AND REALLOCATE
MONEY AND AS SUCH, OFFICERS ARE
LEAVING AT VERY HIGH RATES.
I THINK THE CAUSE OF OUR ILLNESS
TAKING OVER OUR CITY IS FAILED
LEADERSHIP.
>> I HAVE GOT TELL YOU I TALKED
WITH THE COPS.
THEY TELL ME THEY WANT TO BE
ABLE TO ENFORCE THE LAWS BUT
THEY GET TOLD STAND BACK.
>> MY POLICE CHIEF TELLS ME
THAT’S NOT TRUE.
>> IF I KNOW ONE THING, ARE WE
ARING TWO VOTE THEM OUT.
WE COULD EITHER ESCAPE AND RUN
ARE FROM THIS PROBLEM FACE IT
STRAIGHT ON AND MAKE A POSITIVE
CHANGE.
>> DO YOU HAVE A COMMITMENT TO
GO AND ENGAGE THESE MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC?
SOME SORT OF SOLUTION.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
IT’S MY PRACTICE AND I HAVE BEEN
DOING THAT.
LAWRENCE: AINSLEY, MANY OF THE
RESIDENTS FEEL DEFUNDING THE
POLICE EXASPERATED THE CRISIS.
JUST YESTERDAY TEXAS GOVERNOR
GREG ABBOTT VOWED TO SIGN A BILL
TO BAN CITIES FROM DOING THAT
ANYMORE.
CRAZY STORY IN MY HOME STATE.
AINSLEY: IT IS UNBELIEVABLE.
WHY THEY ARE ALLOWING THIS TO
HAPPEN.
I KNOW THEY SAY BECAUSE WE HAVE
A BIG HEART.
WHY DON’T THEY BUILD SHELTERS
FOR THEM AND HELP THEM GET JOBS?
LAWRENCE: SHELTERS, GET THEM THE
TREATMENT THAT THEY NEED.
TEXAS HAS A LOT OF MONEY BECAUSE
WE DON’T HAVE A STATE TAX.
AND WE HAVE MANAGED OUR MONEY
WELL.
PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO SEE TEXAS
LOOK LIKE CALIFORNIA WHEN YOU
HAVE KIDS PICKING UP NEEDLES,
THIS BECOMES A PUBLIC SAFETY
CRISIS.
AINSLEY: THAT WILD SAID HE
PICKED UP SOMEONE’S NEEDLE.
YOU ARE RIGHT.
PEOPLE ARE MOVING FROM
CALIFORNIA DOWN TO TEXAS TO GET
AWAY FROM ALL OF THAT LAWRENCE,
CONGRATULATIONS ON BECOMING THE
ENTERPRISE REPORTER.
HAVE YOU EARNED THAT TITLE.
LAWRENCE: THANK YOU MY FRIEND.
SO GREAT TO OFFICIALLY JOIN THE
"FOX & FRIENDS" FAMILY.
AINSLEY: WE ARE SO HAPPY TO HAVE
YOU.
WE ADORE YOU AND SO HAPPY THAT
YOU ARE A PART OF THE TEAM.