HUD announces legal status audit in public housing under Secretary Turner
The Trump administration launches nationwide review of public housing to root out illegal residents
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Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner announced on Friday that the Trump administration has ordered a nationwide review of public housing to identify and remove residents who are in the country illegally.
Turner stated that each Public Housing Authority has been given 30 days to conduct an audit to ensure that existing regulations are being enforced. The department is requesting information about the public housing units, as well as proof of citizenship or eligible immigration status.
Scott Turner appears before the Senate ahead of his confirmation vote to serve as HUD secretary. (Getty Images)
“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 emphasized.
“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,” he continued.
If a program fails to comply with the request, it could face potential scrutiny of its federal funding.
Turner revealed in an interview with Fox News Channel’s Charles Hurt on “Jesse Watters Primetime” that the DC Housing Authority was the first to receive notice, with over 3,000 other PHAs across the country being held to the same standards, with a focus on prioritizing American citizens.
Migrants line up outside a migrant re-ticketing center at St. Brigid School on E. 7th St. Friday, Jan. 5, 2024, in Manhattan, New York City. (Barry Williams/New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
The move has received support from Republicans but has sparked skepticism from others who believe it could strain resources.
“Anyone in this country illegally should be deported, not provided publicly funded housing!” Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, expressed on social media.
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“This is already the law – proof of citizenship is a requirement for any public housing or section 8 unit. Requiring a second, immediate accounting will not provide a massive correction or eviction. It will simply divert staff from serving American seniors, vets etc.,” former Housing and Urban Development employee Cat Vielma commented.
In March, Turner and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem signed a Memorandum of Understanding to intensify scrutiny of public housing in response to the surge of illegal immigration during the Biden administration.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks at a press conference at the Wilshire Federal Building on Thursday, June 12, 2025, in Los Angeles, CA. (Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
“The entire government will collaborate to identify abuse and exploitation of public benefits and ensure that those in the country illegally are not receiving federal benefits or other financial incentives to remain unlawfully,” Noem declared. “If you are an illegal immigrant, you should depart now. The free ride is over.”
Washington, D.C. has been a focal point for the Trump administration recently, with an increase in National Guard troops and federal law enforcement being deployed to combat crime. Other Democratic-leaning cities, such as Chicago, may also see a deployment of troops and potential immigration enforcement operations.
Fox News Digital reached out to the DC Housing Authority for comment.
