Federal housing officials announced Thursday a new regulation that would restrict public housing assistance primarily to U.S. citizens, a move that housing advocates warn could displace tens of thousands of residents across the country.
The regulation, which appeared in the Federal Register, would restrict funding for public housing and other federal housing programs to citizens and qualified noncitizens. Under the new requirements, all residents living in federally-funded housing must provide documentation proving their citizenship or qualified status, including seniors over 62 who previously only needed to verify their age.
The policy would essentially prevent families with mixed immigration status — households where some members qualify for assistance while others do not — from receiving housing aid, representing part of the administration’s broader immigration enforcement efforts. A comparable regulation was introduced but never completed during Trump’s previous term and appears as a key objective in the conservative policy framework Project 2025.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, the days of illegal aliens, ineligibles, and fraudsters gaming the system and riding the coattails of American taxpayers are over,” HUD Secretary Scott Turner said in a statement. “HUD’s proposed rule will guarantee that all residents in HUD-funded housing are eligible tenants. We have zero tolerance for pushing aside hardworking U.S. citizens while enabling others to exploit decades-old loopholes.”
The regulation becomes official when published in the Federal Register on Friday. HUD officials have not specified a timeline for implementation.
Housing rights organizations immediately condemned the proposal.
“Our country can ensure that every one of us, no matter where we come from or what language we speak, has a safe home,” Shamus Roller, the executive director of the National Housing Law Project said in a statement. “Instead, Trump is trying to evict immigrant families, citizen and non-citizen, from HUD housing.
Research from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in December projected that as many as 20,000 families or up to 80,000 individuals could lose housing assistance under eligibility changes that would reverse policies in place for decades.
The regulation’s effects could extend beyond those without proper documentation. Approximately 3.8 million U.S. citizens lack documentation proving their citizenship, while another 17.5 million face difficulties obtaining such paperwork.
“Everyone deserves an affordable home, including our neighbors, friends, and coworkers who are immigrants,” said Sonya Acosta, a senior policy analyst with the Center. “This rule would force 20,000 families with mixed immigration statuses to make the agonizing choice between losing the assistance that helps them pay rent every month or separating their family. People without a documented immigration status have never been eligible for rental assistance.”
