Just Crazy Enough It Might Work: ONLY Americans Need Apply for HUD and Sec 8 Housing

Admittedly, this is one of those things you read, and like the fellow in the comments, say, ‘We weren’t doing that?’

We WEREN’T doing this?

— Frank Truslow (@frankmaga) February 1, 2026

Actually…kind of, sort of no. 

The rules were in place for Americans and non-citizens who have ‘eligible immigration status’ to have first crack at public housing. But, as Barbarossa says, those requirements were more guidelines than rules in many areas. 

…U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals (or the parent/guardian for family members under age 18) must sign a declaration of their status, under penalty of perjury. PHAs may adopt policies requiring additional documentation to verify U.S. citizenship. HUD strongly encourages PHAs to require that families provide proof of citizenship by such means as birth certificates, naturalization certificates, passports, or other documentation.  Eligible noncitizens (or the parent/guardian for family members under age 18) also must sign a declaration of their status, under penalty of perjury. Eligible noncitizens who are 62 years of age or older must additionally provide proof of their age. Eligible noncitizens under 62 years of age must provide supporting documentation of their immigration status and sign a verification consent form. Supporting documentation consists of documentation accepted by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)—for example, a Form I-551 U.S. Permanent Resident Card.  Family members who do not sign a declaration of their status or provide the required supporting documentation will be considered ineligible for housing assistance. The head of household must sign a statement listing all family members who do not claim to be citizens, nationals, or eligible immigrants, or whose status cannot be confirmed.  

Formerly, one could simply declare oneself a citizen, as well as one’s family, and state and local restrictions on landlord inquiries prevented any further digging into the assertion. To ask for documentation was asking for significant Fair Housing Act trouble, especially in states like California or New York, for instance, where prying into anything short of a credit score was illegal. The federal government was a benign partner in the scheme, never auditing housing for documentation of those tenants either living in Public Housing Authority (PHA) buildings or using Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program funds for apartments out in town.

What happened a week ago was some innovative cross-referencing that, again, one thinks, ‘they haven’t been doing this?’ which revealed a big, fat mess. They ran a combined Housing and Urban Development (HUD) audit alongside a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) cross-check, and hello.

HUD gave the affected PHAs thirty days to get it straightened out.

Following a Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) audit into all tenants across HUD-funded housing nationwide, HUD discovered nearly 200,000 tenants requiring eligibility verification, nearly 25,000 deceased tenants, and nearly 6,000 ineligible non-American tenants.

HUD announced that all Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) and owners participating in HUD-funded housing have 30 days to take corrective action to address these findings.

“We will leave no stone unturned,” said Secretary Scott Turner. “We are proud to collaborate with DHS to execute on the President’s agenda of rooting out abuse of taxpayer funded resources. Ineligible non-citizens have no place to receive welfare benefits. With this new directive and audit, HUD is putting new processes in place to safeguard taxpayer resources and put the American people first.”

“Today’s action to verify the immigration eligibility of all HUD-assisted households is a major step forward to ensure we put American families first and eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse,” said HUD Assistant Secretary of Public and Indian Housing Ben Hobbs. “There are hundreds of thousands of American families on housing waitlists across the country. It is essential we prioritize our limited resources to eligible families only.”

The HUD database will remain connected to DHS. Smart, no?

It could have been done so long, long ago.

We paid. Housing, food, heat, full medical… pic.twitter.com/RjeApDhnbQ

— Paul C (@QuahogFlats) February 2, 2026

HUD Secretary Scott Turner says ‘no stone will be left unturned.’ Believe you me, there are a lot of rocks to start checking under in so dang many housing projects.

…There are approximately 970,000 households living in public housing units managed by some 3,300 PHAs that receive federal funding, according to HUD. 

A BLIND EYE HAS BEEN TURNED TO PEOPLE LIVING IN HUD HOUSING, BUT NO MORE

President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill pushed forward aggressive and necessary policies to stop the flood of illegal immigration into our country — responsible for skyrocketing housing cost.

Along with @DHSgov, HUD will ensure American homes go to Americans only. pic.twitter.com/9QGivImQOV

— Scott Turner (@SecretaryTurner) January 30, 2026

Now, as for the vouchers and Fair Housing laws, landlords are going to have to receive rapid clarification in light of this shift in the federal posture.

Good. But it is still illegal for landlords themselves to do the same.

“Country of origin” is a protected class under Fair Housing.

HUD doesnt even check legal status during a Fair Housing complaint@HUDgov when are us landlords gonna get some direction on this issue and stop…

— Chris | Realtor | Property Manager ✝️🇺🇸 (@ChrisTwigg75157) February 2, 2026

Landlords don’t currently have access to the database for verifying citizenship, so they’re in a vicious trap. The state or municipality that handles voucher eligibility and payments will also have to handle tenant vetting, which had been left to the landlord.

I’m in California where that kind of thing is pretty much expected, but sorry to hear it’s like that in other states too.

— Sally (@MustangSally_12) February 2, 2026

There has already been a marked impact of the deportations and immigration focus in major cities as far as available rentals and the price one pays for those. They’ve started to become both more available and affordable.

🚨 BREAKING: HUD Sec. Scott Turner reveals he caught the Democrats letting illegal aliens gobble up the housing supply at the EXPENSE of citizens — illegals even got taxpayer-funded benefits

Now, it’s being fully reversed. I VOTED FOR THIS!

“In certain cities around our… pic.twitter.com/QQ00vxLgfe

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 29, 2026

…”In certain cities around our country, in particular L.A. and New York, 100 percent of the increase in rental demand is because of illegal immigration.“

“And so we’ve been taking measures at HUD alone to make sure that any HUD funds that go to pertain to housing are for the American people and American people only.“

“The president has taken bold action, as you’ve seen, in banning institutional investors from buying up single-family homes.”

“These homes are meant for American families and not institutions. Also working with Director Pulte over at FHFA to buy $200 billion of mortgage-backed securities to bring down the cost of borrowing.” 

HUD is also partnering with federal law enforcement as DHS and HUD go through the books. 

Operation Clean House just finished up in Ohio, and U.S. Marshals, at the housing authority’s request, took 50 violent criminals out of HUD housing there.

“Operation Clean House”

US Marshals and HUD special agents mass arrest OVER FIFTY violent fugitives living in public housing in the Columbus, Ohio area.

Who the hell was enabling this??? pic.twitter.com/UIik2qPfnK

— National Conservative (@NatCon2022) January 30, 2026

Secretary Turner seems to be another stellar Trump choice for his position, with a sense of purpose and a completely no-nonsense guy. He’s also working with Bill Pulte over at Fannie Mae. Freddie Mac on housing issues there.

I love, love, LOVE this ‘whole of the cabinet’ approach the Trump team has. Every single department secretary is working hand in glove with their peers, and it’s paying off in ways big and small.

It’s really tremendous.

Between the camaraderie and the end results, no wonder the Democrats are freaking out.

Money is being tracked down, illegals are being removed, fraud and abuse are being exposed, and just the general malignant incompetence is being exposed.

It’s like unwrapping a little – or big – present every day.

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