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Did illegal aliens get mortgages under President Biden
Executive summary
Reporting shows that the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) under the Biden administration expanded eligibility for some non‑citizen borrowers—notably DACA recipients with work authorization—to obtain FHA‑backed mortgages, and later policy changes under the new HUD leadership rescinded a “non‑permanent resident” eligibility category [1] [2]. Republicans and some conservative outlets describe this as “mortgages for illegal aliens,” while HUD and DHS releases from the current administration emphasize ending non‑permanent resident access to FHA programs [1] [2] [3].
1. What the historical record in these reports actually says about mortgages and non‑citizens
Coverage in the materials provided says President Biden directed the FHA to allow DACA beneficiaries with work authorization to seek FHA‑backed mortgages, which opened the program to certain employment‑authorized non‑citizens [1]. Conservative commentators and some Republican officials frame that expansion as allowing “aliens without lawful status” to obtain FHA loans; they point to guidance and DOJ/CFPB cautioning lenders against using immigration status alone to deny credit as part of the context [1] [4].
2. How the term “illegal aliens” is being used versus program eligibility
The sources show a difference between “DACA beneficiaries with work authorization” (a group generally seen as lawfully present with employment authorization) and the broader phrase “illegal aliens.” Andrew R. Arthur and similar outlets characterize the Biden‑era moves as extending FHA access beyond green‑card holders to employment‑authorized non‑permanent residents [1]. Other conservative HUD press items and statements use the label “illegal aliens” rhetorically while announcing new restrictions that eliminate a “non‑permanent resident” category from FHA programs [2] [5].
3. What concrete policy changes are reported and by whom
The HUD press materials in the search results describe a policy revision removing the “non‑permanent resident” category from FHA Single Family Title I and Title II programs and state that this change will take effect May 25, with Administration officials asserting the change prioritizes citizens for taxpayer‑backed housing programs [2] [5]. The conservative Center for Immigration Studies commentary and related pieces cite the Biden‑era directive that enabled DACA beneficiaries to be eligible and present that as the basis for claims about mortgage access for non‑citizens [1].
4. Political framing and competing narratives
Republican officials and conservative outlets depict the Biden policy as improper use of taxpayer backing to help “illegal aliens” obtain mortgages and have pushed back—with letters from Republican senators and commentary characterizing the CFPB/DOJ caution about considering immigration status as enabling lenders to serve non‑citizens [4] [1]. HUD’s more recent releases under current leadership present the reversal as “cracking down” on government‑backed mortgages for illegal immigrants and highlight interagency efforts with DHS to prevent misuse of housing programs [2] [3].
5. Evidence gaps and limits of the available reporting
Available sources document policy guidance and administrative changes but do not provide comprehensive data in these excerpts on how many FHA mortgages, if any, were actually issued to people without lawful status, or whether those mortgages led to measurable taxpayer costs—those data points are not found in the current reporting (available sources do not mention exact counts of mortgages to people without lawful status). Also, fact‑checking coverage on related housing assistance claims (e.g., rent programs) shows similar disputes over who was actually eligible versus political claims, indicating this is a contested policy area [6].
6. Bottom line and what to watch next
The documents show a policy arc: Biden‑era guidance expanded FHA eligibility to certain employment‑authorized non‑citizens (notably DACA recipients), critics called that “mortgages for illegal aliens,” and subsequent HUD actions removed a “non‑permanent resident” eligibility category to restrict access [1] [2]. Observers seeking definitive proof of broad taxpayer‑backed mortgage issuance to people without lawful status should note the reporting here does not supply concrete mortgage counts or borrower‑status audits—those numbers are the key missing evidence to resolve competing claims (available sources do not mention comprehensive borrower‑status data).