The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is launching a review to begin removing illegal aliens from Section 8 housing and requesting proof of U.S. citizenship for tenants in HUD-funded housing.
HUD Secretary Scott Turner revealed on Friday that the agency was “requesting” each Public Housing Authority (PHA) “provide a full and comprehensive accounting” of all tenants who are either living in HUD-funded housing, or who are receiving a Section 8 voucher, within 30 days. HUD also requested proof of U.S. citizenship or “eligible immigration status.”
“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,” Turner said. “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.”
“No longer will illegal aliens be able to leave citizenship boxes blank or take advantage of HUD-funded housing, riding the coattails of hardworking American citizens,” Turner continued.
Turner continued to note that currently, “HUD only serves one out of four eligible families due, in part, to the lack of enforcement of prohibition against federally funded assistance to illegal aliens.”
“HUD will leverage all available enforcement actions against entities who do not comply with the request for citizenship information, including, but not limited to, examination of HUD funding and/or evaluation of PHA program eligibility,” Turner added.
During an interview with Fox News’s Charles Hurt on Jesse Watters Primetime, Turner explained that the agency had informed “over 3,000 other PHAs” of the same requirements, according to Fox News.
“American citizens will be prioritized when it comes to living in HUD-funded government-funded housing. We just sent out a letter to the D.C. Housing Authority, and it has been received by them,” Turner said, adding that they have “30 days” to give a “full, comprehensive account of everyone living inside of D.C. Housing Authorities that are receiving Section 8 vouchers, or any type of HUD-funding.”
HUD’s “Housing Choice Voucher Program,” which is also known as Section 8, is described as helping “low-income families, elderly persons, veterans and disabled individuals afford housing in the private market,” according to HUD’s website.
Those in the program can pick “any eligible housing unit, including single-family homes, townhomes, and apartments, with rent partially covered by a subsidy paid directly to the landlord.”
In April, Turner wrote a letter to HUD grantees and stakeholders clarifying that “no taxpayer dollars will be given to organizations that support, house, shelter, or provide care to illegal aliens who broke the law.”
