The Trump administration will require proof of citizenship or immigration status to access subsidized housing

The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has finalized a new regulation requiring applicants and beneficiaries of federally funded housing to demonstrate that they are U.S. citizens or have legal immigration status that qualifies them to receive assistance. The measure, driven by the administration of President Donald Trump, aims to close gaps in eligibility controls and prevent individuals who do not meet the requirements from accessing taxpayer-funded benefits.

The new regulation, announced by HUD last Tuesday, establishes mandatory verification procedures for all applicants and residents receiving assistance through certain housing programs. The regulation will take effect on December 14.

Among the programs affected are public housing administered by HUD, Section 8 rental subsidies, housing development grant programs, and rental assistance provided under Section 236.

One of the main objectives of the provision is to prevent immigrants who do not meet the legal conditions for receiving federal benefits from taking advantage of the presence of eligible family members to indirectly access subsidized housing. This practice is known as mixed immigration status households and allows individuals who are not entitled to assistance to share a housing unit with U.S. citizens or other residents who do meet the requirements.

Under previous regulations, HUD could indefinitely maintain proportional rental assistance for these households, even when some members were not eligible. The new provision establishes that this type of assistance will be temporary and conditioned on verifying the status of all family members living in the housing.

Additionally, anyone claiming to be a U.S. citizen must present appropriate documentation to prove their status. In this way, the government seeks to strengthen control mechanisms and ensure that federal resources reach only those who are entitled to receive them.

HUD noted that currently its housing programs serve approximately 25% of eligible households in need of adequate housing, a figure that reflects the strong demand for assistance and the pressure on available resources.

HUD Secretary Scott Turner defended the decision and stated that U.S. taxpayers should not fund benefits intended for individuals who do not meet legal requirements while vulnerable citizens wait for years to receive help.

''It is unacceptable that homeless U.S. veterans, disabled individuals, the elderly, and victims of domestic violence remain on waiting lists while illegal immigrants and ineligible individuals defraud our system. U.S. taxpayers will no longer foot the bill,'' Turner stated in the official announcement.

The decision is also supported by an audit conducted jointly by HUD and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which identified nearly 200,000 residents of subsidized housing whose eligibility records were incomplete or did not allow for a clear determination of their status.

Trump seeks to eliminate benefits for ineligible immigrants

The regulation is part of the executive order signed by Trump in February 2025, titled ''Ending Open Borders Funding with Taxpayer Money''.

The provision instructed federal agencies to improve their verification systems to ensure that benefits funded with public money do not reach foreigners who entered the country illegally or who remain in the United States without authorization.

Turner had already warned on August 29, through a letter to local housing authorities, that they must provide documentation regarding the citizenship or eligible immigration status of residents of HUD-funded housing and those receiving Section 8 rental vouchers. He also noted that entities that do not comply could face enforcement actions, including a review of their federal funds.

In the United States, approximately 2,000 local authorities administer Section 8 vouchers, through which about 2.3 million households receive assistance to pay rent each year. Access to these benefits is limited to U.S. citizens and other individuals with legal presence who meet the established requirements.

With the new regulation, the Trump administration seeks to strengthen oversight of public spending, close mechanisms it considers vulnerable to fraud, and prioritize citizens and legally eligible residents who need housing assistance. The administration argues that, given the high demand and long waiting lists, taxpayer resources should be allocated to those who meet the legal requirements.