The Trump administration has taken decisive action to ensure American housing benefits only American citizens, putting an end to what officials call the “gravy train” for undocumented immigrants. A new agreement between HUD and DHS titled “American Housing Programs for American Citizens” stops taxpayer money from subsidizing housing for illegal immigrants. Policy affects DACA recipients, asylum seekers, and other non-permanent residents previously eligible for housing assistance.
Prioritizing Americans in Public Housing
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem have established a formal partnership to identify and remove undocumented immigrants from federally subsidized housing. The memorandum of understanding creates a framework for agencies to share information and enforce existing laws that reserve public benefits for citizens and legal residents. The initiative affects an estimated 9 million residents in public and subsidized housing whose eligibility status lacks proper verification.
HUD will assign full-time staff to assist operations at the Department of Homeland Security’s Incident Command Center, ensuring housing programs do not benefit those without legal status. This coordination aims to address what administration officials describe as years of lax enforcement that allowed ineligible individuals to access scarce housing resources at taxpayers’ expense.
Breaking News 💥 HUD Sec Scott Tuner
& DHS Secretary Kristi Noem @Sec_Noem
Announce Memorandum To End
Taxpayer -Funded Housing For
Illegal Aliens 💪🏻🇺🇸
The Nation Voted For This , It Was Part
Of Pres.Trump Campaign Policies📍🇺🇸
Well Done , Keep Up That Good Work
🇺🇸✝️🙏🏻God… pic.twitter.com/KuhWhh3GM1— Armand Klein (@ArmandKleinX) March 25, 2025
End of FHA Mortgages for Non-Citizens
The administration has extended its policy changes beyond public housing to include Federal Housing Administration mortgages. Secretary Turner announced that taxpayer-backed FHA loans for illegal immigrants have been terminated effective immediately. This significant policy shift means DACA recipients, asylum seekers with pending claims, and other non-permanent residents will no longer qualify for government-backed, low-income home loans designed to help first-time homebuyers.
“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.” Scott Turner
The change reverses Biden-era policies that had expanded mortgage access to non-citizens. Administration officials point to limited housing supply and rising home prices for Americans as justification for restricting these benefits to citizens and permanent legal residents only.
Thank you @realDonaldTrump @POTUS @HUDgov for putting Americans First.@FlipChicagoRed https://t.co/OCfKhjWdO8
— Danielle Carter (@Dannic44) March 28, 2025
Part of Broader Immigration Enforcement
The housing policy changes are part of President Trump’s broader immigration enforcement strategy, which began with a series of executive orders immediately following his inauguration. These orders directed federal agencies to remove undocumented immigrants, establish state Homeland Security Taskforces, create detention centers, and block federal funding from sanctuary cities that refuse to cooperate with immigration authorities.
The executive order “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders,” signed in February 2025, specifically targeted benefits for undocumented immigrants. It requires federal agencies to identify and terminate programs providing benefits to those without legal status, affects emergency medical care, education access, and disaster relief, and threatens to restrict federal funding to sanctuary jurisdictions that protect undocumented immigrants from deportation.
Education Benefits Also Affected
The administration’s policy changes extend into education as well. The Department of Education has revoked waivers that allowed colleges in Oregon and California to use federal funds for services to illegal students. These waivers had been part of the Performance Partnership Pilots for Disconnected Youth program, which previously permitted institutions to serve immigrant students regardless of legal status.
These changes represent a comprehensive approach to resource allocation that reinforces the administration’s “America First” policy stance. Officials emphasize that their goal is ensuring American citizens receive priority access to limited government resources during a time of housing shortages and economic challenges.