City Limits published an op-ed today by NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel and National Housing Law Project Supervising Attorney and NLIHC Board Member Karlo Ng condemning the Trump administration’s latest in a series of efforts to create a “climate of fear and confusion for immigrant families and communities” through HUD’s new proposed “mixed-status” immigrant-family rule.

The rule proposes evicting families that include undocumented or otherwise ineligible immigrants from public and other subsidized housing, putting them at high risk of homelessness. As the op-ed makes clear, federal housing subsidies – by law and regulation and in practice – do not currently assist undocumented or otherwise ineligible immigrants. Mixed-status families –  those in which family members who are ineligible for HUD assistance live with eligible family members – receive subsidies that are strictly prorated to cover only the eligible family members. These families pay more rent out of pocket as a result.

“According to HUD’s own estimate, more than 55,000 deeply poor children – all American citizens or lawful permanent residents – will be evicted from subsidized housing for which they are eligible,” Diane and Karlo write. “The rule would also affect about 120,000 elderly immigrants currently receiving HUD assistance as well as nine million U.S. citizens who are receiving subsidies. . . . The rule is not about shortening waitlists for subsidized housing; HUD’s own analysis shows that this proposal would do little to free up new units.”

Diane and Karlo conclude: “The true purpose of this proposed rule, then, is to advance the administration’s xenophobic agenda and to incite baseless fears about immigrants and their families. We must not stand for it.”

Read the full op-ed at: http://bit.ly/2QjQ8Rw

Read more about the HUD proposed “mixed-status” immigrant-families rule at: www.Keep-Families-Together.org