Chicago – February 19, 2026
The Trump administration has proposed a new rule to restrict federal housing assistance for families with mixed immigration statuses, limiting prorated aid to a temporary 30-day verification period. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) estimates this affects around 24,000 individuals across 20,000 households, potentially redirecting $218 million in funds from ineligible recipients.
HUD Secretary Scott Turner stated the move ends “illegal aliens, ineligibles, and fraudsters gaming the system,” prioritizing U.S. citizens and closing long-standing loopholes. Under current rules, mixed-status families—often including U.S. citizen children—receive prorated subsidies excluding undocumented members, but the proposal would bar long-term assistance post-verification.
This revives a 2019 Trump-era plan withdrawn by Biden amid opposition from housing advocates warning of family separations and evictions. Shamus Roller of the National Housing Law Project called it “unlawful,” vowing to fight back to protect vulnerable tenants. The rule publishes Friday in the Federal Register, open for 60 days of public comments.
