Trump's Cruel Sophie's Choice that Could Evict 55,000 Children: Choose Between Your Family and Your Home

“They are trying to make us point fingers in the wrong direction while we keep struggling and they keep thriving”

SAN JUAN, TX—HUD has announced a harmful proposal to evict mixed status families from subsidized housing. The government estimates the proposed rule change, which is pending a public comment period, would affect 55,000 children, most of which are US Citizens.

As the LA Times reports, “Currently, a family of two parents and two children, with one of the parents an undocumented migrant, can get housing assistance on a pro-rated basis to omit the undocumented parent. Under the proposed regulation, the whole family would be ineligible, and, if currently in public housing, evicted.”

The impact of the proposed rule is not limited to families that include an undocumented immigrant, however. The National Housing Law Project (NHLP) and National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) explain, “There are many immigrants with legal status who are ineligible for certain federally subsidized housing. Examples include immigrants with employment and student visas as well as U-visa holders, who are crime victims that have suffered significant abuse while in the U.S. and are assisting law enforcement and government officials in prosecuting the perpetrators of the criminal activities.”

In response, Juanita Valdez-Cox, LUPE’s executive director, released the following statement:

“In the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, our communities are hard working and we sacrifice so much for our families to get ahead. But Trump’s latest scheme would ask many of us to sacrifice our homes or our family unity.

The scheme: change the rules to exclude from housing support those families that have members with different immigration status. This would have a terrible effect on thousands of families, with the biggest impact on the 55,000 children nationwide who would be evicted or separated from their families.

Nobody should have to choose between their family and their home. But that’s the cruel Sophie’s Choice that Trump and his wealthy special interest friends want families to make.

Regardless of where we were born or the color of our skin, most of us are struggling to build the communities we want with access to the opportunities we need in order to leave something better for our children. They are trying to make us point fingers in the wrong direction while we keep struggling and they keep thriving.

There is still time to fight back this proposed rule change. We’ve joined together when Trump has gone too far, most recently to fight back against his cruel child separation policy.

If your family receives government housing assistance, don’t drop the aid. LUPE is gathering public comments against this cruel policy. Whether you receive assistance or not, your voice can help us fight it back. Tell us why you are against this proposed rule change. We’ll help you submit an official comment against it.”

The National Housing Law Project (NHLP) and National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) have launched a new website for public comments against the proposal. Visit www.keep-families-together.org