The Trump administration is taking decisive action to reverse housing policies that critics say put illegal aliens ahead of American citizens, following new confirmations from HUD Secretary Scott Turner.
Secretary Turner revealed that during the Biden administration, federal agencies allowed illegal aliens to receive taxpayer-backed FHA mortgages and access HUD-funded housing, despite long-standing federal restrictions intended to reserve those benefits for U.S. citizens and lawful residents.
“We took away FHA-backed mortgages from illegal aliens,” Turner said. “During the Biden administration, they turned a blind eye.”
According to Turner, the policy shift comes amid the broader border crisis, with more than 12 million illegal immigrants entering the country in recent years. The Trump administration, now back in control, says it is restoring enforcement and accountability across federal housing programs.
HUD is now working directly with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to ensure that HUD-funded housing is occupied only by eligible individuals. As part of the crackdown, Turner announced a new mandate requiring every public housing authority in the country to report exactly who is living in each federally funded unit.
“We are mandating every public housing authority tell us who’s living in every unit,” Turner said. “Only U.S. citizens should be benefiting from HUD-funded housing.”
The administration says the effort is about fairness, legality, and protecting scarce housing resources at a time when many American families are struggling with affordability and long waiting lists.
Supporters of President Donald Trump argue the move underscores a sharp contrast between the current administration’s America-first approach and prior policies that prioritized illegal immigrants over citizens. The White House says further reviews of federal benefit programs are underway to ensure taxpayer dollars are no longer misused.
HUD officials say additional enforcement actions and compliance audits are expected in the coming months as the administration continues its broader effort to restore immigration enforcement and protect public resources.
