Photo: Alamy
The Trump administration is working to stop the use of taxpayer funds on public housing for illegal immigrants, according to a memorandum from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released on Monday.
The two federal agencies presented a plan to share data to identify illegal migrants living in public housing, vowing to work together to change the situation that surged during the Biden administration.
“We will safeguard precious taxpayer resources, and we will stop the harmful practices of the former Biden administration, which favored and prioritized illegal aliens over American citizens in the expenditure of housing funds and subsidies,” the memo stated.
“American tax dollars should be used for the benefit of American citizens, especially when it comes to an issue as pressing as our nation’s housing crisis,” HUD Secretary Scott Turner said. “This new agreement will leverage resources including technology and personnel to ensure American people are the only priority when it comes to public housing.”
“We will continue to work closely with DHS to maximize our resources and put American citizens first,” he added.
“If you are an illegal immigrant, you should leave now,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said. “The gravy train is over.”
“The entire government will work together to identify abuse and exploitation of public benefits and make sure those in this country illegally are not receiving federal benefits or other financial incentives to stay illegally,” the Homeland Security Secretary added.
The announcement follows efforts announced by Noem last month to launch a registry for illegal immigrants, including fines or prison for those who refuse.
The registry will include children 14 and older to be fingerprinted and supply personal information, according to a memo reported in The Wall Street Journal.
“Aliens in this country illegally face a choice,” Noem wrote in a memo, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday. “They can return home and follow the legal process to come to the United States or they can deal with the consequences of continuing to violate our laws.”
The initiative is part of a broader effort by Trump to curb illegal immigration through mass deportations and stricter border security measures. Under the new policy, those who qualify but fail to register could face fines of up to $5,000 and a maximum prison sentence of six months.
