Pols criticize HUD proposal against mixed-status immigrant families
Nearly 11,400 residents would be banned from receiving federal housing assistance
BY BILL PARRY
Governor Andrew Cuomo,
Mayor Bill de Blasio and state
Attorney General Letitia
James are aligned in opposition
to a new rule proposal by the
U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development
(HUD) that would ban mixed
immigration status households
from receiving federal housing
assistance.
The rule would deny eligible
U.S. citizens and eligible noncitizens
from their right to
access affordable and public
housing resources, including
Section 8 vouchers, that would
have an immediate effects for
nearly 11,400 New York City
residents, including nearly
5,000 children, according to
the de Blasio administration.
“The Trump
administration wants to make
kids homeless and call it
immigration policy,” de Blasio
said. “This proposed rule
would hurt some of the most
vulnerable members of our
community, and we’ll fight it
every step of the way.”
The White House and
HUD Secretary Ben Carson
said the proposal would open
resources to eligible recipients
while shortening waitlists
for Section 8 vouchers and
public housing. Cuomo
announced a “robust multiagency
response” to the HUD
proposal saying it would have
devastating consequences on
children who are U.S. citizens
and are otherwise eligible for
support.
“The federal government’s
proposed policy change is
needlessly cruel and will
cause undue harm to our most
vulnerable residents, including
seniors, veterans, children,
people with disabilities and
survivors of domestic abuse,”
Cuomo said. “In New York, we
know that our diversity is our
greatest asset, and we will not
stand idly by as Wahington
continues its all-out assault on
our immigrant communities.”
For more than 30 years,
laws governing public
housing and HUD rules have
prioritized family unity and
the preservation of the family
Residents of public housing could be evicted if a family member is
undocumented , according to a proposed federal rule change.
unit, but the new proposal
would prohibit family members
who are undocumented from
resident in their homes. James
explained that in many cases,
the eligible family members
are children, and these
minors would not be able to
live without their parents,
resulting in the effective
eviction of entire families.
“If this rule is enacted, the
Trump administration will
once again be tearing families
apart, and this time, it won’t
be at the border, but in our
communities,” James said.
“Threatening to evict tens of
thousands of children from
their homes and put them on
the streets is despicable and
reverses decades of standard,
well-reasoned federal policy.
We will not sit idly by as this
administration continues to
launch these discriminatory
attacks against immigrants
and penalize those states that
welcome them.”
James is leading a coalition
of 23 states opposing the new
rule saying it could leave more
than 50,000 children homeless
across the country. States
will have to bear significant
administrative and social
benefit costs if the rule goes
into effect.
Private housing providers
would be far less likely to
participate in subsidized
housing programs, leaving
states to find additional
affordable housing options
and to plan for increased rates
of evictions and homelessness,
James warned.
“This proposed rule change
isn’t about fairness or reining
is scarce public resources,”
city Department of Housing
Preservation and Development
Commissioner Louise Carroll
said. “It’s about weaponizing
immigration status and
pushing 25,000 mixed-status
families across the country
out of their homes.”
Reach reporter Bill
Parry by email at bparry@
schnepsmedia.com or by
phone at (718) 260–4538.
Relax with a Summer CD
5–MONTH CD 11– 2.15%
MONTH CD 2.30%
APY1
$2,500 minimum to open and earn interest. $500 minimum to open and earn interest.
SIT BACK AND SAVE!
myNYCB.com • (877) 786-6560
APY1
1
!
" ""
be imposed for withdrawals before maturity. Fees could reduce earnings. The Promotional CDs must be opened with new money not currently on deposit with the Bank. Offer may be
withdrawn at the discretion of the bank at any time.
©2019 New York Community Bank
TIMESLEDGER,QNS.COM JULY 19-25, 2019 23
/schnepsmedia.com
/myNYCB.com
/TIMESLEDGER,QNS.COM
