Republicans push HHS, HUD to provide data on number of illegal immigrants given housing support

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Immigration Subcommittee Chairman Tom McClintock, R-Calif., are pushing the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the number of illegal immigrants and other non-citizens that the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) has referred to HUD for housing support since January 20, 2021.

The lawmakers are also seeking the "eligibility criteria for referral to HUD and the receipt of housing assistance, including the categories of aliens for which such referral and assistance is available."

The GOP leaders referred to the HUD website in their letter to both cabinet agencies, which said it helps refugees and other "newcomer populations" find "safe, permanent, and affordable housing by providing access to housing counseling and sharing important resources regarding HUD programs and services."

The lawmakers are also requesting "all documents and communications between or among HHS ORR and the State Department, HUD, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), or any of their component entities, referring or relating to housing assistance for refugees, parolees, and other aliens, for the period January 20, 2021, to the present."

The lawmakers are asking that the information be provided by August 7.

"While Americans struggle to buy homes and pay their rent, the Biden-Harris Administration has sought to ensure that refugees and other aliens can find affordable housing once they arrive in the United States. In fact, HHS ORR works alongside HUD and the State Department to connect refugees and other aliens with housing assistance," the lawmakers wrote in a letter on Wednesday addressed to Robin Dunn Marcos, director of ORR, and Adrianne Todman, acting secretary of HUD.