The Trump administration has unveiled a sweeping new housing policy that could lock out thousands of undocumented immigrants from public housing support, dealing a major blow to many migrant families, including Kenyans living in the U.S.
In a statement signed by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner, all Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) have been instructed to submit, within 30 days, a comprehensive report of all tenants residing in HUD-funded housing or receiving Section 8 vouchers.
The directive will now require full identification of all beneficiaries, including their names, mailing addresses, unit costs, number of bedrooms, and, most critically, proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful immigration status.
The move seeks to enforce the U.S. Section 214 of the Housing and Community Development Act, which bars undocumented immigrants from receiving federal housing aid.
HUD says it is stepping up enforcement to prevent undocumented immigrants from “riding the coattails” of hard-working American citizens.
The policy is framed as an effort to stop the subsidisation of “open border policies” and ensure that U.S. taxpayer dollars are only used to support eligible U.S. residents.
According to the letter, HUD currently serves only one in four eligible families, a situation partly blamed on the failure to enforce immigration restrictions in public housing programmes.
''Within 30 days of receipt of this notice, HUD is requesting that every Public Housing Authority (PHA) provide a full and comprehensive accounting of all tenants who are receiving a Section 8 voucher and/or residing in HUD-funded housing. HUD is requiring the name, mailing address, number of bedrooms, the cost of the unit, and proof of American citizenship or eligible immigration status as defined by the law,'' the statement read in part.
"No longer will unlawful aliens be able to leave citizenship boxes blank or take advantage of HUD-funded housing, riding the coattails of hard-working American citizens."
Going forward, PHAs that fail to provide the required tenant information risk penalties, including potential loss of HUD funding or being declared ineligible for programme participation.
The development has caused anxiety among some migrant families in the U.S., especially those awaiting adjustments to their immigration status while relying on subsidised housing.
HUD has stated it will use all enforcement mechanisms available, including audits and programme evaluations, to ensure full compliance with the new mandate.
This hardline housing policy adds to the list of immigration-related crackdowns under Trump’s leadership as the administration intensifies efforts to link social welfare benefits to immigration enforcement.
