President Trump’s latest Executive Order redirects funds from illegal immigrant housing to launch the largest U.S. housing and recovery center for homeless veterans, transforming Los Angeles’s troubled VA campus into a hub of hope.
At a Glance
- Trump announces National Center for Warrior Independence in West Los Angeles
- Center to serve 6,000 homeless veterans with housing, rehab, and job training
- VA Secretary Doug Collins tasked with overseeing campus overhaul by 2028
- Executive Order shifts federal funds away from illegal immigrant housing
- West LA VA campus to become largest homeless vet facility in the U.S.
Executive Order: A New Directive
President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order that reclaims the 388-acre West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center, converting it into the National Center for Warrior Independence. The initiative, as reported by Townhall, redirects federal resources away from services for illegal immigrants and toward homeless veterans.
Watch a report: Trump Orders Creation of National Vet Center – YouTube.
The center will provide housing, mental health and substance abuse treatment, and job placement support for roughly 6,000 veterans. “The Center will promote self-sufficiency through housing, substance abuse treatment, and support for productive work for the veterans housed there,” the White House said in a statement.
A Campus with a Purpose
The West LA VA campus, once partially leased to private entities, has faced legal scrutiny. A judge recently ruled parts of those leases illegal, as they did not prioritize veterans’ needs. Trump’s order flips the narrative—bringing every square foot back under veteran-focused use.
As noted in Newsweek, this redirection arrives as Los Angeles continues to host the largest concentration of homeless veterans in the nation, with nearly 3,000 individuals living in harsh conditions. “Many of these heroes live in squalor in Los Angeles’s infamous ‘Skid Row,’” Trump said in announcing the policy.
Steps Forward and Further Expansion
Beyond Los Angeles, the administration is exploring veteran facility expansions in underserved states like New Hampshire, which currently lacks a dedicated VA medical center. The Housing and Urban Development Secretary has also been ordered to expand voucher support for homeless veterans.
“This Executive Order builds on the progress we’ve made so far and puts us on a path to fixing some of the department’s most vexing problems,” said VA Secretary Doug Collins, as quoted in Newsweek.
Trump linked this move to prior reforms, including the Forever GI Bill and student loan forgiveness for disabled veterans. As his second-term agenda ramps up, the West LA project stands as a defining effort to realign national priorities toward those who have served.
“President Trump strongly believes that every veteran deserves our gratitude, and that the federal government should treat veterans like the heroes they are,” the White House added. And with this order, the administration puts policy behind that promise.
