For years, Americans have watched the dream of homeownership slip further out of reach. Skyrocketing home prices, stubbornly high mortgage rates, and a shortage of affordable housing have left millions of families wondering whether they’ll ever be able to buy a home. According to Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner, much of that pain can be traced back to one source: the Biden administration’s immigration policies.
Appearing on Fox Business’ *Mornings with Maria*, Turner argued that President Joe Biden’s open-border approach didn’t just fuel illegal immigration—it also placed additional strain on America’s already stressed housing market while leaving hardworking citizens competing for homes and taxpayer-backed resources.
The discussion began with host Maria Bartiromo highlighting the difficult reality facing prospective homebuyers. The average age of first-time buyers has climbed to around 40 years old, while median home prices remain well above half a million dollars in many parts of the country. Even with expectations that the Federal Reserve could begin lowering interest rates, affordability remains a major obstacle.
Turner acknowledged those concerns but expressed optimism that President Donald Trump’s economic agenda would begin producing meaningful relief.
“We’re hopeful the Fed continues cutting rates,” Turner said, pointing to the administration’s economic policies and tax cuts aimed at working families. He also noted that HUD has already helped more than one million Americans this year through home purchases or refinancing, including more than 500,000 first-time homebuyers using Federal Housing Administration programs.
Still, Turner argued that solving the housing crisis requires addressing what he described as one of its biggest underlying causes: illegal immigration.
According to the HUD secretary, the unprecedented surge in migrants entering the country during the Biden years placed enormous pressure on housing supply, driving up prices and making it harder for American citizens to find affordable homes.
“When you have millions of people crossing the border unchecked and unvetted, that affects housing affordability,” Turner said.
He pointed to HUD data showing a dramatic increase in the foreign-born population between 2021 and 2024, arguing that the rapid population growth intensified competition for both rental units and homes available for purchase.
For many conservatives, the argument is straightforward: basic economics dictate that when demand increases dramatically while supply struggles to keep pace, prices inevitably rise. In their view, years of lax border enforcement only compounded an affordability crisis that was already squeezing middle-class families.
Turner said the Trump administration is now working to reverse those trends by expanding housing supply, encouraging lower interest rates, and restoring stricter immigration enforcement.
One area receiving particular attention is federally subsidized housing.
Bartiromo noted that HUD recently launched a confidential hotline allowing residents to report suspected criminal activity, including illegal immigration, sex trafficking, drug trafficking, and other serious offenses occurring within federally funded housing developments.
Turner described the initiative as an effort to ensure that law-abiding families living in public housing can feel safe in their communities.
“We care about the families living in HUD-funded housing,” Turner explained. “They deserve to feel safe where they live.”
He emphasized that tips submitted through HUD’s Office of Inspector General can be made confidentially, encouraging residents to report criminal activity without fear of retaliation.
The HUD secretary also defended another major policy reversal involving taxpayer-backed mortgages.
According to Turner, the Biden administration failed to adequately enforce existing eligibility requirements for FHA-backed loans. The Trump administration has since moved to ensure that government-backed mortgages are available only to qualified American citizens and lawful borrowers under federal law.
“We took away FHA-backed mortgages from illegal aliens,” Turner said. “These mortgages are backed by taxpayers, and they should benefit the American people.”
The administration has repeatedly argued that taxpayer-funded programs should prioritize American citizens rather than individuals who entered the country illegally.
The broader debate reflects two sharply different visions of immigration policy.
Supporters of the Trump administration argue that secure borders, strict enforcement, and prioritizing American citizens are essential not only for national security but also for protecting wages, housing affordability, and access to public services.
Critics counter that housing shortages stem from multiple factors—including years of underbuilding, zoning restrictions, inflation, and elevated construction costs—and caution against attributing the crisis primarily to immigration.
For Turner and the administration, however, the mission remains clear.
By strengthening border enforcement, expanding housing opportunities, cracking down on fraud within federal programs, and directing taxpayer-funded benefits toward eligible Americans, officials believe they are taking concrete steps to restore the American Dream of homeownership.
For millions of families struggling to purchase their first home, the administration argues that putting American citizens first isn’t just good politics—it’s common sense.
