National Council of Asian Pacific Americans Statement on HUD Rule Aimed at Harming Immigrant Families

Washington, DC—Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), in an effort to further restrict undocumented immigrants from receiving subsidized housing, proposed a rule requiring that all members of a household receiving assistance be legal immigrants. Currently, undocumented immigrants are prohibited from receiving assistance; however, mixed immigration status families can receive assistance at a pro-rated amount based on the number of eligible residents.

Analysis of the proposed rule indicates that over 100,000 residents could be put at risk of homelessness—55,000 of whom are U.S. children.

NCAPA National Director, Gregg Orton issued the following response:

“With homelessness amongst Asian Americans on the rise, along with being the racial group with the fastest growing income inequality, this decision by the Trump Administration is alarming, but not surprising. This proposed rule by the Trump Administration is a reflection of their contempt and cruelty towards immigrants in the country; and the Administration is essentially saying: to ensure that no undocumented immigrants can access subsidized housing, we’re willing to make homelessness in America worse. We’re willing to potentially displace tens of thousands of American children and eligible immigrants simply to prove we’re committed to further impoverishing undocumented immigrants.

This proposal is irrational nativism at its best. HUD will no doubt argue that they are trying to allocate scarce resources to benefit Americans, but no Americans are benefitted when homelessness increases. By HUD’s own admission, this rule would increase the costs of serving existing program recipients and thus, fewer households could be served, which begs the question: what is the point?

Coming up with solutions, rather than making existing problems worse is a pretty good standard for any policymaking. This rule isn’t even a good try.”