On Thursday, February 19, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development introduced a rule to limit federal housing assistance for households with mixed immigration status by requiring proof of citizenship or eligibility for every resident receiving support.
The measure would end the current practice allowing partial assistance based on the number of eligible household members. Instead, reduced aid would continue only for a temporary 30-day period while authorities verify eligibility.
Housing Secretary Scott Turner emphasized that the department has “zero tolerance for pushing aside hardworking U.S. citizens while enabling others to exploit decades-old loopholes.”
HUD estimates roughly 24,000 people currently receive benefits through mixed-status arrangements. The agency expects the change could redirect about $218 million in federal spending away from residents determined to be ineligible. Housing agencies nationwide are already reviewing tenant records as part of a broader verification effort.
The rule is scheduled for publication in the Federal Register, opening a 60-day public comment period before potential implementation.
