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ACLU sues city of Phoenix to stop sweeps of homeless camp

A large homeless encampment is shown in Phoenix, Aug. 5, 2020. On Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, the ACLU of Arizona filed a complaint against the city of Phoenix to block the planned resumption of cleanup sweeps it says have displaced people and destroyed identification documents, prescription medications and other meager belongings at a huge homeless encampment downtown.
Ross D. Franklin
/
AP Photo
A large homeless encampment is shown in Phoenix, Aug. 5, 2020. On Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, the ACLU of Arizona filed a complaint against the city of Phoenix to block the planned resumption of cleanup sweeps it says have displaced people and destroyed identification documents, prescription medications and other meager belongings at a huge homeless encampment downtown.

The ACLU of Arizona says it is suing the city of Phoenix in order to block resumed sweeps of a huge homeless encampment downtown that they say has displaced people and destroyed identification documents, prescription medications and other belongings.

The ACLU says it filed the complaint late Wednesday in the U.S. District Court of Arizona to halt the city's possible resumption in December of raids that were paused at the beginning of 2022.

It's the latest move in an ongoing tug-of-war between advocates and cities in Western states over how best to tackle the problem of homelessness.