Sunday, August 31, 2025 - The Donald Trump administration has announced a sweeping housing directive that could force thousands of undocumented immigrants, including an estimated 30,000 Kenyans, out of public housing assistance in the United States.
In a statement signed by Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Secretary, Scott Turner, all Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) have been
ordered to submit, within 30 days, a detailed report of tenants in HUD-funded
housing or receiving Section 8 vouchers.
The directive requires PHAs to provide the names, mailing
addresses, unit details, rental costs, and - most critically - proof of U.S.
citizenship or lawful immigration status for every beneficiary.
The move enforces Section 214 of the Housing and Community
Development Act, which bars undocumented immigrants from accessing federal
housing aid.
HUD defended the policy as a measure to ensure taxpayer
dollars only benefit eligible U.S residents, warning against what it termed as
“subsidisation of open border policies.”
According to HUD, only one in four eligible families
currently receives housing assistance, a shortfall that officials partly
attribute to lax immigration enforcement in housing programmes.
PHAs that fail to comply risk penalties, including loss of
HUD funding or disqualification from programme participation.
The directive has sparked anxiety among migrant households,
especially those awaiting adjustments to their immigration status.
HUD said it will deploy audits and program evaluations to
enforce compliance.
The housing policy adds to a growing list of Trump-era
crackdowns linking social welfare eligibility to immigration enforcement.
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