Ronan Farrow disputed Vice President J.D. Vance’s claim that undocumented immigrants are driving up U.S. home prices, noting the 30 million figure has no credible support. Farrow cited estimates from DHS and the Pew Research Center that place the undocumented population at about 11–14 million and emphasized that most undocumented residents rent and live in higher-density housing. He pointed to institutional investors — who purchased a rising share of single-family homes, nearly 30% in some reports by mid-2025 — and a deep supply shortage as the primary drivers of higher prices.
Ronan Farrow Debunks J.D. Vance’s Claim That Undocumented Immigrants Are Driving Up Home Prices
Ronan Farrow disputed Vice President J.D. Vance’s claim that undocumented immigrants are driving up U.S. home prices, noting the 30 million figure has no credible support. Farrow cited estimates from DHS and the Pew Research Center that place the undocumented population at about 11–14 million and emphasized that most undocumented residents rent and live in higher-density housing. He pointed to institutional investors — who purchased a rising share of single-family homes, nearly 30% in some reports by mid-2025 — and a deep supply shortage as the primary drivers of higher prices.
08:19 AM, 11/21/2025Politics
Investigative reporter Ronan Farrow used a post on X to challenge Vice President J.D. Vance’s recent assertion that undocumented immigrants are responsible for rising U.S. housing costs. Farrow argued the claim is contradicted by demographic data and the actual forces shaping the housing market.
“We flooded the country with 30 million illegal immigrants who are taking houses that ought to go to American citizens.”
Farrow responded to that claim with three key points grounded in publicly available data and market trends.
1. The 30 million figure is not supported by credible data
Reliable estimates from government and nonpartisan demographers — including the Department of Homeland Security and the Pew Research Center — place the undocumented population in the United States at roughly 11 to 14 million. That makes the 30 million number about double the highest reputable estimate, and Farrow noted this inflation undermines the factual basis of Vance’s statement.
2. Undocumented immigrants are predominantly renters, not homebuyers
Farrow pointed out that undocumented residents are far more likely to rent and to live in shared or higher-density housing. As a result, they typically consume less housing per person than the average American and are not the primary bidders for starter homes in many markets.
3. Institutional investors, not undocumented buyers, have tightened supply
Instead of individual undocumented buyers depleting inventory, Farrow highlighted the growing role of institutional investors. Since 2020 the share of single-family homes sold to investors — entities that typically do not occupy the properties — has increased substantially. By mid-2025, investors were purchasing nearly 30% of single-family homes sold in the U.S. in some reports, with particularly aggressive buying in cities such as Atlanta and Phoenix. Those purchases often convert starter homes into rental inventory, removing them from the for-sale market and constraining supply.
Farrow emphasized that the deeper and more persistent driver of high prices is a massive supply shortage — millions of homes short of what the market needs — not a sudden surge of undocumented homebuyers.
He also noted an irony in Vance’s proposed solution. Policies that would remove large numbers of foreign-born workers could further strain the construction industry, which relies heavily on immigrant labor, and likely exacerbate supply problems and upward pressure on prices.
In short, Farrow argued that a data-driven view points to investor activity and limited housing supply as central causes of rising home prices, not the presence of undocumented immigrants. He urged policy debate grounded in evidence rather than inflated numbers and simplistic explanations.