As Los Angeles prepares to host its first FIFA World Cup match on Friday, some travelers landing at LAX are encountering a stark introduction to the city: a visible homelessness crisis that officials have struggled for years to bring under control.
In the lead-up to the tournament, Free Press reporter Austyn Jeffs visited the airport to document the conditions that many arriving fans may see as they make their way through Los Angeles International Airport.
The footage shows parts of the airport terminals being used as makeshift sleeping areas, with unhoused people resting on the floor, including one dog wrapped tightly in a blanket beside its owner.
“On any given night, up to 130 homeless people are camping out in the terminals at Los Angeles International Airport,” NBC4 reported in 2020.
Records reviewed by NBC also found that LAX police responded to 1,023 incidents in 2019, with many of the reported cases allegedly involving homeless individuals.
In 2021, one man was able to breach airport security and board an American Airlines flight after slipping through a fence before eventually making his way onto the plane.
Jeffs claims that this year, some have defecated in terminals while one even threatened to shoot passengers. There’s also been reported crimes such as assault, theft, carjacking, and even sexual battery.
The LAX’s website specifically states that “entry to LAX is only allowed for airline passengers and persons meeting” and that the airport is “closed to the general public 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”
