system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why is it so easy to take in 10k refugees and house them rather than house homeless veterans? (in America)

I know this question may sound political but when I recently saw this, I thought it was a no brainer (meaning to house veterans rather than refugess). 

Therefore, I'm assuming theres more to the story than just the simplistic *refugee vs. homeless veteran* narrative.
gpt
The state-funded resettlement agencies are going to assist them in finding housing and work for 90 days. If they have family, they'll be flown into the nearest resettlement center. After that, AFAIK, they receive no special treatment, but are free to get the same support from Health and Human Services that is already available to the homeless and others in need.

The fact that the US gov't gets to determine where they go might be a factor too. Homeless are not exactly proportionally spread out across the US, and cities/states can get a lot of flak for trying to move their homeless elsewhere, which wouldn't be an issue for the federal gov't. They can just drop refugees in smallish towns or less expensive cities that are prepared to take them.

Also a lot of long-term homeless, veterans or otherwise, are mentally ill. This may mean that they are unable/unwilling to ask for help, or that the shelters and such are unequipped to provide it.