Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner is sounding the alarm on what he describes as a years-long failure of leadership under Joe Biden—and he says hardworking Americans are the ones paying the price.
In a recent appearance on Maria Bartiromo’s program, Turner didn’t mince words. He pointed directly to the Biden administration’s border policies, arguing they opened the floodgates to millions of illegal crossings—placing enormous strain on housing resources meant for U.S. citizens.
“During the Biden administration, his immigration policies were literally non-existent,” Turner said. “It really was a joke.”
According to Turner, the consequences of that approach have been far-reaching. With millions entering the country illegally, demand for housing surged—driving up costs and stretching already limited federal housing assistance programs to the breaking point.
“When you have tens of millions of people coming across our border, illegally, unchecked and unvetted, that made the housing costs go up,” Turner explained. “It put a strain on supply.”
But perhaps most troubling, he argued, is where those limited resources ended up. Turner revealed that illegal immigrants were able to occupy units funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), effectively displacing American citizens who rely on those programs for a temporary lifeline.
“We have American people that need a hand up—housing assistance—and we had illegals living inside HUD-funded housing, taking the space of the American people,” he said.
Now, under Donald Trump’s leadership, Turner says that’s about to change.
The administration has introduced a new proposed rule requiring proof of citizenship or eligible residency status for anyone seeking HUD assistance. The policy is designed to ensure taxpayer-funded housing benefits are reserved strictly for those legally entitled to receive them—including tighter scrutiny of so-called “mixed-status households.”
“And so we signed the qualified citizens proposed rule to make sure that anybody living in HUD-funded housing is indeed an American citizen or is an eligible resident of this country,” Turner said.
In a formal statement, Turner doubled down on the administration’s zero-tolerance approach to abuse of the system. “The days of illegal aliens, ineligibles, and fraudsters gaming the system and riding the coattails of American taxpayers are over,” he declared.
The numbers cited by HUD paint a concerning picture. Despite overwhelming demand, federal housing assistance currently reaches only about a quarter of eligible American households. At the same time, a joint HUD and Department of Homeland Security audit uncovered nearly 200,000 tenants with incomplete or unverifiable eligibility status—raising serious questions about oversight under previous leadership.
For conservatives, the issue underscores a broader concern: government programs intended to help vulnerable Americans have too often been stretched thin by policies that prioritize open borders over accountability.
Turner framed the new rule as a long-overdue correction—one that puts American citizens back at the front of the line. “This will help ensure that Americans are receiving the help that they need,” he said.
As the debate over immigration and federal benefits continues, the administration’s message is clear: limited resources should go to those who follow the law—and taxpayers shouldn’t be footing the bill for anyone else.
