HUD Report Sparks Controversy Over Immigration and Rising U.S. Housing Costs

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) 2025 report sparked significant controversy after linking undocumented immigration and refugees to rising housing prices. However, experts told Fox News that 2026 is likely to bring a “reset” in the housing market.

HUD Secretary Scott Turner asserted that the Biden administration’s immigration policies have increased pressure on the housing market and pushed many American families out of access to affordable housing.

These conclusions were challenged by experts and Democratic lawmakers. Riordan Frost, senior research analyst at the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, wrote that while immigration has contributed to household growth, other factors—particularly the COVID-19 pandemic—played a much larger role in driving up housing prices. He noted that growth in U.S.-born households significantly increased demand at a time when housing supply remained limited.

Meanwhile, Democratic Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman sharply criticized Turner during a congressional hearing, arguing that his proposed budget “worsens the housing crisis” and would effectively cut the department’s funding by more than 50 percent. California Representative Maxine Waters also accused the secretary of abandoning HUD’s legal obligation to combat housing discrimination, at a time when the country is experiencing record levels of housing discrimination complaints.

This debate highlights the deep political divide over the causes of the U.S. housing crisis: between those who place direct blame on undocumented immigration and those who argue that the roots of the crisis are deeper and more complex, tied to housing shortages, construction costs, and financing policies. As pressure continues to mount on low-income families, the future of U.S. housing policy remains one of the most contentious issues in Washington.