Fox News Hosts Spark Outrage With Calls for “Lethal Injection” of Homeless People

Fox News anchors are facing widespread backlash after suggesting extreme measures—including “involuntary lethal injection”—as a solution to America’s homelessness crisis. The remarks highlight a disturbing rise in anti-homeless rhetoric amid political debates on how to address the issue.

Fox News Comments on Homelessness Crisis

During Wednesday’s Fox & Friends, hosts Lawrence Jones, Ainsley Earhardt, and Brian Kilmeade discussed the tragic murder of Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee fatally stabbed on a light-rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina. The suspect, a homeless man with a history of violent crime, has fueled outrage among conservatives.

In the heated discussion, Jones argued that homeless individuals should be forced into treatment programs or face incarceration:

“You can’t give them a choice. Either you take the resources that we’re going to give you—or you decide that you are going to be locked up in jail.”

Kilmeade took it further, saying:

“Or involuntary lethal injection. Or something. Just kill them.”

Backlash From Homeless Advocacy Groups

Advocates swiftly condemned the remarks. Donald Whitehead, Executive Director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, called the rhetoric “dangerous” and accused the hosts of dehumanizing people living on the streets.

“It shows a lack of human compassion and is the worst possible time for that kind of language,” Whitehead told The Irish Star, urging Fox News to remove the anchors from the air.

Trump Administration’s Crackdown on Homelessness

These remarks come as the Trump administration ramps up its own harsh rhetoric against unhoused individuals. In August, the president threatened to forcibly remove homeless encampments in Washington, D.C., calling them a “wasteland.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said those who refuse to leave risk “fines or jail time.”

Advocates warn these policies mirror failed systems of mass institutionalization. Jesse Rabinowitz of the National Homelessness Law Center argued:

“We have done massive institutionalization in this country. It didn’t work. It was inhumane, and that’s why we don’t do it anymore. Donald Trump wants to take our country backwards.”

The Dangers of Criminalizing Homelessness

Research consistently shows that criminalizing homelessness does not solve the problem. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, forced encampment sweeps and arrests only deepen cycles of poverty, pushing vulnerable people further to the margins.

Whitehead also warned of real-world consequences:

“We have documented almost 2,000 attacks against people experiencing homelessness since 1999—beatings, firebombings, shootings. Violent rhetoric from top officials only makes it worse.”

Why This Matters

Homelessness in the United States continues to rise, with housing shortages, untreated mental health issues, and systemic poverty fueling the crisis. Experts stress that evidence-based solutions—such as affordable housing, supportive services, and healthcare access—are far more effective than punishment or criminalization.

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