On March 24, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which will create “a point of contact” between the two federal agencies to share data about people living in government-subsidized housing.
Anna Luft, Director of NYLAG’s Public Housing Justice Project, spoke with City Limits about what a new data-sharing agreement between HUD and DHS could mean for New Yorkers who live in HUD subsidized housing:
According to Anna Luft, project director of the New York Legal Assistance Group’s Public Housing Justice Project, the memorandum applies to all HUD-subsidized housing, including Section 8—also known as the Housing Choice Voucher Program, which provides rental assistance to low- and moderate-income families—and public housing authorities that run such programs.
[…]
As this is the first time this memorandum of understanding has been in effect, there is a great deal of uncertainty. Advocates recommend that households consult with immigration attorneys for individualized assessments.
“Our advice for people who are concerned and are living in HUD subsidized housing,” Luft said, “is for them to talk to their immigration attorneys and assess what their individual removal risk is and what they should do.”
Read the full piece published in City Limits on April 4, 2025.
