HUD Secretary Says Immigration Reduction Part of Housing Affordability Plan

The secretary of Housing and Urban Development said the administration is treating lower immigration levels as one element in efforts to reduce home prices and rents. Speaking at the Great American State Fair, the secretary argued that higher housing demand tied to unauthorized immigration had contributed to recent price increases.

A Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas working paper cited in the interview estimated that each 1 percent rise in unauthorized immigrant workers correlated with a 2.2 percent increase in home prices and a 1.4 percent increase in rents.

The secretary pointed to two executive orders that direct agencies to remove regulatory barriers, expand mortgage credit, and increase housing supply. Officials are also reversing earlier rules that raised construction costs, with the goal of spurring additional homebuilding.

"Here in America, we prioritize American people and American people only. American houses are for American people," the secretary said.

Asked when price relief might appear, the secretary said the administration views affordability as an immediate priority and is already implementing the cited orders. Housing costs remain elevated in many markets, continuing to affect both buyers and renters.