Record Immigration Is Driving America’s Housing Crisis

How Biden-Era Border Policies Priced American Families Out of Their Own Communities

A landmark federal report has confirmed what struggling American families already knew: record-breaking immigration has driven housing costs through the roof, pricing millions out of their own communities.

The HUD Report: Immigration and “Worst Case Housing Needs”

In December 2025, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released its biennial “Worst Case Housing Needs 2025: Report to Congress” – the agency’s flagship assessment of the housing market for low-income Americans. The findings were stark.

According to the report, between 2021 and 2024, the foreign-born population of the United States increased by more than 6 million people – the largest such increase over such a short period in American history. The foreign-born population now stands at more than 53 million individuals, making up the highest share of the American population in history.

This immigration-driven surge has had a devastating impact on housing affordability:

• In California and New York, immigration accounted for 100 percent of all rental price growth and over one-half of all growth in owner-occupied housing in recent years. (HUD Press Release)

• Nationwide, the foreign-born population accounted for two-thirds of rental demand growth – compared to just 13 percent between 2019 and 2023. (Fox News)

• Today, only 59 affordable housing units exist for every 100 very low-income American renters – a severe shortage that leaves millions without adequate options. (Bisnow)

• More than 8.46 million American households now face “worst case housing needs” – meaning they pay more than half their income toward rent, live in severely inadequate conditions, or both.

The report concluded: “This immigration-driven increase in households has contributed to a significant increase in housing demand, thus driving up housing prices. In fact, in some markets, immigration has accounted for nearly all of the increase in housing demand in recent years.”

The Math: 784,000 Fewer Households Without the Surge

The HUD report quantifies the impact precisely: without the immigration surge, approximately 784,000 fewer households would have formed over the 2021-2024 period. That represents 784,000 units of housing demand that would not exist – demand that has placed upward pressure on rents and home prices across the country.

The report notes that net additions to the housing market from 2015 onward “have not kept up with household formation among citizens,” and that the non-citizen population growth “has inordinately affected rental markets.”

As HUD Secretary Scott Turner explained: “HUD just put out a report and found that between 2021 and 2024, the foreign-born population in our country increased by six million people – the largest such influx over such a short period in American history.”

HUD Can Only Serve One in Four Eligible Families

The housing crunch has overwhelmed federal assistance programs. According to Secretary Turner, HUD currently serves only one out of four eligible American families due in part to the strain placed on the system by immigration.

In August 2025, HUD launched a nationwide audit of more than 3,000 Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) to verify citizenship or eligible immigration status for all tenants receiving Section 8 vouchers or residing in HUD-funded housing. An estimated 100,000 non-citizens are believed to be receiving Section 8 subsidies despite being ineligible under federal law.

“No longer will illegal aliens be able to leave citizenship boxes blank or take advantage of HUD-funded housing, riding the coattails of hardworking American citizens,” Turner wrote in a letter to PHAs.

Enforcement Is Already Making a Difference

Evidence is mounting that reducing immigration pressure provides relief for American families seeking housing. In January 2026, the White House released data showing that in 14 of the top 20 metro areas with the largest illegal migrant populations, home list prices declined year-over-year in December.

The three metro areas that saw modest price increases – Seattle, Chicago, and Philadelphia – are all so-called “sanctuary cities” that have resisted immigration enforcement efforts.

Specific market declines (per Realtor.com data) include:

• Austin, TX: -7.3%

• San Diego, CA: -6.7%

• Miami, FL: -4.3%

• Phoenix, AZ: -3.5%

• Denver, CO: -3.4%

Overall, home prices dropped for the first time in more than two years, with housing affordability showing signs of improvement.

The message is clear: reducing immigration reduces housing competition and lowers costs for Americans.

The Policy Solution: End Chain Migration

While enforcement actions provide immediate relief, permanent legislative solutions are needed to ensure the housing market remains accessible to American families.

H.R. 2705, the Nuclear Family Priority Act, would end chain migration by limiting family-sponsored immigration to the spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents. Under current law, immigrants can sponsor extended family members – parents, adult siblings, adult children – creating an exponential “chain” of immigration that has driven legal immigration levels far beyond what the housing market can absorb.

By limiting family-sponsored immigration to the nuclear family, H.R. 2705 would significantly reduce the volume of immigration that is straining the housing market and driving up costs for American families.

Conclusion

The HUD report eliminates any doubt about the connection between record immigration and America’s housing crisis. When the foreign-born population increases by 6 million in just three years – when immigration accounts for 100% of rental price growth in major states – when two-thirds of rental demand growth comes from the foreign-born population – the cause and effect could not be clearer.

American families deserve a housing market that works for them. Congress must act to reduce immigration levels and ensure that the American dream of homeownership remains within reach.