Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris is facing intense backlash after suggesting that providing free fentanyl to homeless individuals could serve as a solution to the city’s ongoing homelessness crisis.
During a recent city council meeting, Parris remarked that offering unlimited access to the deadly drug could effectively “purge” those he described as the criminal element within the homeless community. The comments, which he later attempted to clarify as being aimed at drug dealers and repeat offenders, have sparked public outrage and a growing recall movement.
Parris claimed his frustration stemmed from the rise in crime and visible drug use in Lancaster, expressing a desire for tougher federal action and a more aggressive response to the issue. Critics, however, condemned his approach as reckless, dehumanizing, and dangerously flippant in light of the national opioid epidemic.
Community leaders and advocates have called the remarks unacceptable, with many arguing they reflect a broader failure to address homelessness with compassion and evidence-based solutions. Calls for the mayor’s resignation have grown louder, while residents question whether such rhetoric undermines efforts to provide care and recovery for those struggling with addiction and housing instability.
Parris, who has held office since 2008, is no stranger to controversy, but his latest comments have ignited a city-wide debate over the moral and legal boundaries of local leadership in tackling homelessness.