The action by the city of Fremont, California, comes after a Supreme Court ruling in June that emboldened communities across the country to limit protections for people without homes. The court’s decision in Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson lets cities ban homeless residents from sleeping outside, even when a community lacks indoor shelter beds.

The ordinance, which prohibits camping on all public property and allows prosecutors to criminally charge anyone “aiding” or “abetting” a homeless camp.

A California city voted to criminalize “aiding” and “abetting” homeless camps Tuesday – an unusual move that advocates say could stifle aid to help for people who need it.

The city of Fremont has been thrust into the national spotlight this week for adopting a stringent public camping ban that also makes it a crime to “aid” or abet” any violation of the new law. The aiding-and-abetting language has raised fears among advocates for homeless people that anyone helping people living in encampments could soon have a target on their backs.