In a bold move Friday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order redirecting funds previously allocated for illegal aliens to establish the National Center for Warrior Independence, a new facility aimed at tackling veteran homelessness.

The center, to be built on the Veterans Affairs campus in West Los Angeles, targets the city’s staggering 3,000 homeless veterans—more than any other U.S. city and roughly 10% of the nation’s 30,000 homeless veterans, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs 2024 Annual Homeless Assessment Report.

The order reallocates resources from housing and services for illegal immigrants to construct and maintain the center, which aims to house up to 6,000 homeless veterans by 2028.

The White House emphasized that the facility will offer comprehensive care, including substance abuse treatment, job support, and housing to promote self-sufficiency.

"President Trump believes veterans are heroes who deserve our gratitude, not neglect," the administration stated.

Approximately 30,000 veterans are homeless on any given night in the United States, a figure that represents about 8% of the total homeless population, despite veterans making up only 6.2% of the U.S. population, according to the VA and U.S. Census Bureau.

The risk of homelessness is disproportionately high for veterans, with studies indicating that 10-15% of veterans will experience homelessness at some point in their lives, compared to 4-6% of the general population.

Factors like PTSD, substance abuse, and lack of affordable housing exacerbate the crisis, particularly in urban hubs like Los Angeles, where the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System housed 1,854 veterans in 2024 alone.

The Biden administration sidelined homeless veterans in favor of illegal immigrants — a point Trump’s order directly rebukes.

Under Biden, billions were funneled into illegal alien housing and legal aid for illegal immigrants, while VA funding for homeless veteran programs stagnated.

For instance, the 2023 federal budget allocated $1.9 billion for migrant services through the Department of Homeland Security. Yet, the VA’s homeless veteran programs received only $2.7 billion — barely enough to address the growing crisis.

Biden’s 2022 decision to reinstate back pay for VA employees fired for misconduct further fueled perceptions of misplaced priorities. Trump’s order now directs the VA to investigate and reverse such actions.

"Biden’s focus was clear: illegal immigrants got the red carpet while veterans slept on the streets," a White House source quipped.

The executive order extends beyond the new center. It mandates Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner to provide vouchers for homeless veterans and pushes for reduced wait times at Veterans Health Administration appointments through expanded hours, weekend slots, and virtual care.

A feasibility study for a full-service medical center at the Manchester VA Medical Center in New Hampshire is also underway.

Additionally, Trump ordered VA Secretary Doug Collins to crack down on agency misconduct and restore accountability, targeting what the administration calls "Biden-era lapses" in VA management.