HUD Report Fuels Debate: Turner Says Migrant Influx Is Driving Up Rents; Experts Cite Underbuilding

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner told Fox News Digital that HUD’s 2025 "Worst Case Housing Needs Report" reveals an immigration-driven strain on the U.S. housing market that is pricing out low-income families. The report and Turner’s comments have ignited a debate between policymakers who blame recent migrant flows and analysts who point to longer-term supply problems.

Key Findings From The Report

HUD’s biennial assessment — the agency’s flagship look at affordability and adequacy for low-income Americans — links recent foreign-born population growth to sharp increases in rental demand and housing formation. The agency estimates roughly 15 million undocumented immigrants, about 30% of the foreign-born population, and says foreign-born growth accounted for more than 60% of increased rental demand nationally (a figure described in some measures as roughly two-thirds).

HUD also estimates that without the recent migrant surge, roughly 784,000 fewer households would have formed during the measured period, and that net additions to housing supply since 2015 have not kept pace with household formation among citizens. The report warns non-citizen household growth has disproportionately affected rental markets in particular.

Administration Response And Actions

Turner attributed the report’s findings to what he described as "unchecked illegal immigration and open borders policies" under the Biden administration and said the administration has taken steps including auditing public housing authorities for verifiable citizenship data. He also said HUD removed certain Federal Housing Administration-backed mortgage benefits from undocumented borrowers that had been allowed under the prior administration.

"The unchecked illegal immigration and open borders policies allowed by the Biden administration continue to put significant strain on housing, pricing out American families," Turner told Fox News Digital.

Pushback From Analysts And Lawmakers

Not all experts agree that immigration is the primary driver. Jenna Stauffer, a real estate advisor, argued that the U.S. has underbuilt housing for nearly two decades, leaving a structural shortfall estimated by some analysts at four to seven million homes. Riordan Frost of Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies noted immigration has affected household growth but said pandemic-era dynamics and constrained supply — including native-born household formation — were major forces behind rising housing costs.

Some lawmakers criticized Turner’s policy proposals and budget priorities. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman said HUD’s proposed cuts would worsen the housing crisis, and Rep. Maxine Waters accused the secretary of neglecting HUD’s obligation to combat housing discrimination amid rising complaints.

What To Watch

The report is expected to inform congressional debate over immigration, housing funding, and federal programs aimed at low-cost rentals. HUD said it uses the report to guide policymakers on where affordable housing gaps are largest and which households are most at risk.

Fox News Digital requested comment from the Biden administration; there was no response by publication time.