Those people would become a burden during such a time, especially if a lot of resources were needed to keep a large number of them alive.
Overcrowding could become a big problem, just as there could be other issues like food shortages, disease and much more.
If those in charge were already strained on a lot of things, and more people showed up, then that could hurt the things they were already trying to manage.
If it were during a time of war, then their priorities would not allow them to think too much about trying to preserve the lives that others had risked their lives to save in another city or town.
If such people in higher positions could see the information in front of them and the calculations of everything, they would have to make decisions based on the numbers and information alone.
They would have to make choices that only they would be able to make from their position.
They were more detached from what they were looking at, as each life was just another number.
