AP News reported that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that cities can enforce bans on homeless people sleeping outdoors.

The 6-3 decision overturns a lower-court ruling that said such bans were “cruel and unusual punishment”. Critics say the bans will only make the homeless crisis worse, while others say it will make it harder for cities to manage outdoor encampments.

It is a sad reality that an estimated 650,000 people are homeless in the U.S., up 12% from last year. “Sleep is a biological necessity, not a crime”, said, Justice Sonia Sotomayor. She added, “Homelessness is a reality for so many Americans.”

“We are disappointed that a majority of the court has decided that our Constitution allows a city to punish its homeless residents simply for sleeping outside with a blanket to survive the cold when there is nowhere else for them to go,” said Ed Johnson, director of litigation at the Oregon Law Center.