The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), under Secretary Scott Turner, has launched a nationwide effort to remove illegal immigrants from federally subsidized housing. Local housing authorities now have 30 days to verify that residents meet legal immigration or citizenship requirements. Agencies failing to comply risk federal audits and the loss of HUD funding.
Secretary Turner stated that this action was necessary to ensure that American citizens and legal residents receive priority in housing assistance. He noted that HUD currently only serves one in four eligible families, and that illegal immigrants have been “riding the coattails of hardworking American citizens” for too long. The Washington, D.C., Housing Authority was the first to receive notice, but over 3,000 agencies nationwide are subject to the same enforcement action.
The crackdown stems from a March agreement between HUD and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which established cooperation between the two departments for identifying and removing ineligible occupants from taxpayer-funded housing. That agreement supports broader federal efforts to restrict illegal immigrant access to public resources and limit benefits to citizens and qualified legal residents.
The policy has strong support among conservative lawmakers who argue that federal housing should never be available to those who entered the country illegally. HUD’s new enforcement includes mandatory audits, policy reviews, and in some cases, on-site inspections. Agencies that fail to remove illegal occupants or cannot provide proof of eligibility may see their funding suspended or revoked.
Supporters say this move restores integrity to the public housing system, ensuring that limited resources are directed to law-abiding citizens, especially seniors, veterans, and low-income families. Critics, including progressive housing activists, argue the policy could lead to evictions and legal challenges, but HUD leadership has stated that compliance with federal law is non-negotiable.
