The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued an order on Friday, January 23, requiring all public housing authorities in the United States, including housing providers receiving funding from the department, to verify the citizenship status and eligibility of residents.
Prior to this, HUD conducted an audit in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and found tens of thousands of deceased and ineligible tenants across the country.
According to HUD, the audit revealed that nearly 200,000 tenants need to undergo eligibility verification, including around 25,000 deceased tenants and nearly 6,000 non-US citizens who do not meet the criteria, scattered throughout federally funded housing projects.
HUD has directed all public housing authorities and participating providers to take corrective measures within 30 days, or potentially face sanctions.
HUD stated that this review was coordinated with DHS and the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to ensure compliance with existing federal laws.
HUD Secretary Scott Turner stated in a release that HUD “will do everything in its power to enforce the President’s agenda to eradicate the misuse of taxpayer funds.”
He emphasized that “non-eligible non-citizens are not entitled to receive benefits… HUD is establishing new processes to safeguard taxpayer funds and prioritize the interests of the American people.”
Last month, HUD sent a letter to state housing agencies and relevant providers, urging them to comply with Section 214 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1980 and President Trump’s Executive Order 14218, which requires agencies to verify the citizenship of residents before they move into HUD-funded housing.
Turner and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem previously jointly signed a memorandum titled “American Housing Programs for American Citizens,” aiming to prevent the misappropriation of taxpayer funds in federal housing programs.
According to the agreement, HUD will upload all Section 8 and Section 9 tenant files to the USCIS SAVE system for the first time to verify immigration status.
(This article is based on a report from Fox Business News)