The Trump administration published a proposed rule on May 10 that would prohibit “mixed-status” immigrant families from living in public and other subsidized housing (see related article in this Memo to Members and Partners). The rule would result in family separations and evictions for certain immigrant families, putting tens of thousands of people and children at increased risk of homelessness. NLIHC and the National Housing Law Project are hosting a Twitterstorm on May 16 at 3:00 p.m. ET to oppose this harmful and cruel proposal.
Mixed-status families are households that include members who are eligible and others who are ineligible for housing assistance based on their immigration status. Current statute and law allow families to live together in subsidized housing with one or more eligible family members; the housing subsidy is prorated to exclude the ineligible person from the assistance. Under the proposed rule, families with members who are deemed ineligible will be forced to separate from one another or be evicted from their subsidized housing after 18 months or sooner.
Here are some sample tweets advocates can use during the May 16 Twitterstorm:
- The HUD proposed rule to prohibit families of mixed-status from living in federally subsidized housing is cruel. Tell @SecretaryCarson to #KeepFamilesTogether & retract this rule #protectfamilies
- HUD does NOT fund undocumented immigrants living in subsidized housing! The new proposed rule would break up families & do little to shorten wait lists. #KeepFamiliesTogether Tell @SecretaryCarson NO to this cruel rule! #protectfamilies
- Secretary Carson’s unconscionable proposal would evict over 100,000 people, including 55,000 deeply poor children that are US citizens or legal residents, at the height of an affordable housing crisis. #KeepFamiliesTogether
- Undocumented immigrants do NOT receive housing subsidies–it isn’t allowed in law or regs and doesn’t happen in practice. HUD rule isn’t for shortening housing waiting lists but for instilling fear in families. #KeepFamiliesTogether
- Prohibiting mixed-status families from being able to live together is cruel & unnecessary. Tell @SecretaryCarson to #KeepFamiliesTogether #protectfamilies
- HUD’s mixed-status families rule places thousands, incl 55,000 children that are US citizens or legal residents, at risk of homelessness. #KeepFamiliesTogether. Tell @SecretaryCarson you stand against splitting up/evicting families
- Housing stability is crucial for getting families on path to a better life. HUD’s proposed mixed-status rule threatens this path for some low-income immigrants. #KeepFamiliesTogether, support housing asst. for people w/ greatest needs