- The Trump administration ends taxpayer-funded housing for illegal immigrants to prioritize U.S. citizens amid the housing crisis.
- A new HUD-DHS partnership will enforce stricter eligibility checks via data-sharing and a full-time HUD staffer at DHS.
- 59% of illegal immigrant households use welfare programs, costing taxpayers $42 billion annually and worsening housing shortages.
- The policy reverses Biden-era rules allowing "mixed-status" families to occupy public housing, displacing citizens on waitlists.
- Veterans and low-income Americans will benefit as resources shift to those legally entitled to housing assistance.
In a decisive move to prioritize American citizens amid a worsening housing crisis, the Trump administration announced Monday it will end taxpayer-funded housing for illegal immigrants.
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner and Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem unveiled a new partnership aimed at ensuring federal housing programs benefit only U.S. citizens and legal residents. The "American Housing Programs for American Citizens" memorandum, signed by both secretaries, marks a significant step in fulfilling President Trump’s February executive order to redirect taxpayer resources away from illegal immigration incentives.
Cracking down on exploitation
The memorandum establishes a data-sharing system between HUD and DHS to identify and remove ineligible recipients from public housing programs. A full-time HUD staff member will be stationed at DHS’s Incident Command Center (ICC) to streamline enforcement.
"We’re here signing a partnership to ensure that the wasteful misappropriations that have been going to assist the illegal aliens in our country will no longer go to assist them but instead to assist the American people," Turner declared in a video statement.
The move comes as HUD cites alarming data from the Center for Immigration Studies: 59% of illegal immigrant households use at least one welfare program, costing taxpayers roughly $42 billion annually. By inflating demand in housing markets, illegal immigration has exacerbated affordability challenges for low-income Americans. "Across the country, there are about 9 million residents of public and subsidized housing without proper information sharing to determine eligibility status," HUD noted.
Biden’s failed priorities
Secretary Noem sharply criticized the Biden administration for neglecting American citizens in favor of illegal immigrants. "The Biden Administration prioritized illegal aliens over our own citizens, including by giving illegal aliens taxpayer-funded housing at the expense of Americans. Not anymore," she said. "If you are an illegal immigrant, you should leave now. The gravy train is over."
The Trump administration’s action follows a February executive order directing federal agencies to audit programs that provide financial benefits to illegal immigrants. Turner emphasized the urgency of the housing crisis, stating, "American tax dollars should be used for the benefit of American citizens, especially when it comes to an issue as pressing as our nation’s housing crisis."
A long overdue correction
The policy shift addresses a longstanding loophole under Biden-era rules, which allowed "mixed-status" families—households with both legal and illegal residents—to occupy public housing indefinitely. Critics argue this unfairly displaced citizens on waiting lists, which in cities like New York stretch into the hundreds of thousands. The Trump administration’s 2019 proposal to verify tenants’ legal status was reversed by Biden in 2021, but Monday’s memorandum reinstates stricter eligibility checks.
Veterans and low-income families stand to benefit most from the reform. "This agreement will leverage resources including technology and personnel to ensure American people are the only priority when it comes to public housing," Turner affirmed.
The Trump administration’s latest action underscores its commitment to putting American citizens first—a sharp contrast to the previous administration’s policies. By ending taxpayer subsidies for illegal immigrants, the White House aims to alleviate pressure on public housing and ensure federal resources serve those who are legally entitled to them. As Noem bluntly stated, the era of exploiting American generosity is over.
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