LANCASTER, Calif. — A controversial remark made by Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris at a February city council meeting has sparked intense backlash and reignited debate over how to handle California’s growing homelessness crisis. During the public session, Parris stated, “What I want to do is give them free fentanyl,” referring to homeless individuals — a statement that immediately drew stunned reactions from attendees and has since gone viral.
Despite the outrage, Parris later defended his comments, claiming they were metaphorical and intended to provoke a serious conversation about public safety and state prison reform. “I mean, I thought people were intelligent enough to understand that it was a metaphor,” he said in a follow-up interview with Eyewitness News. “But I don’t regret saying it. It’s brought attention to the problem. Hard-working families cannot be safe as long as California continues to empty their prisons and make these people homeless.”
The mayor clarified that his criticism was aimed not at all unhoused individuals, but specifically those released from the criminal justice system who, he argues, are often unsupervised and contribute to rising crime. “I do think that people who fall on hard times need help, and we should provide that help,” he added. “I certainly believe that no one should be required to go hungry.”
Parris cited a local survey suggesting that roughly 40% of Lancaster’s homeless population had recent involvement with the criminal justice system. He argued that many are released on parole without adequate oversight, leaving communities vulnerable. “I have no sympathy for them. I have no mercy for them,” he said, maintaining a firm stance on those he views as a threat to public safety.
Community response has been mixed. Some residents, while uncomfortable with the language used, expressed similar concerns about the safety implications of increasing homelessness. “I don’t know what the answer is, but it is definitely a safety issue when you are unhoused within your community,” said a resident named Lyndsay. Parris doubled down, stating, “I’m not staying silent. I want these people out of my city… the damage they’re causing is just too great.”
The episode underscores the deep divide in California politics over how to handle the homelessness crisis, especially when it intersects with crime, mental illness, and the aftereffects of prison reform. While some call for empathy and housing-first strategies, others, like Parris, are pushing for stricter measures and tougher rhetoric in the name of public safety. As the debate intensifies, Lancaster’s mayor remains unapologetically at the center of a growing storm.
