The Department of Housing and Urban Development has announced a proposed rule to require proof of U.S. citizenship or eligible status for every resident in HUD-funded housing, including “mixed-status households,” HUD Secretary Scott Turner said.
With the proposed rule, HUD said it will ensure that taxpayer-funded housing benefits only go to American citizens and eligible individuals for the first time in history.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, the days of illegal aliens, ineligibles, and fraudsters gaming the system and riding the coattails of American taxpayers are over,” Turner said. “HUD’s proposed rule will guarantee that all residents in HUD-funded housing are eligible tenants. We have zero tolerance for pushing aside hardworking U.S. citizens while enabling others to exploit decades-old loopholes.”
Protects HUD Funding
HUD said its proposed rule will close loopholes and prohibit HUD funding from benefitting undocumented aliens and ineligible noncitizens who reside in taxpayer-funded housing. Those persons no longer will be able to take advantage of taxpayer-funded benefits intended for American citizens or people with eligible status, Turner said.
HUD said its housing assistance is intended for U.S. citizens and certain eligible noncitizens, yet HUD resources serve only a quarter of eligible households in need.
A recent HUD and DHS audit of all assisted households identified almost 200,000 tenants with incomplete or unknown eligibility verification. HUD said it estimates roughly 24,000 illegal aliens, ineligibles, and fraudsters in 20,000 “mixed status households” benefit from HUD assistance.
HUD said the proposal builds on its work to protect federal housing benefits for vulnerable U.S. citizens and execute on President Donald Trump’s Executive Order “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders.” This year, Secretary Turner:
