February 20, 2026
Contacts:
Press@legal-aid.org
Press@nhlp.org
media@latinojustice.org
press@mlri.org
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***
Tenant and Immigrant Rights Groups Condemn Proposed HUD Rule Change Targeting Immigrant Families
(NEW YORK, NY) — Greater Boston Legal Services, LatinoJustice PRLDEF, The Legal Aid Society, Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, the Massachusetts Union of Public Housing Tenants, and the National Housing Law Project together issued the following statement condemning the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) new proposal that targets families with mixed immigration status and will put tens of thousands of households at risk of losing their homes:
“No matter where we come from, how long we’ve lived here, or what language we speak, our country has the resources to ensure everyone has a safe place to call home. But HUD’s cruel and unlawful proposal is a direct attack on immigrants, families, and people who rely on housing assistance.
“For decades, federal law has allowed families with mixed immigration statuses to remain housed together, with aid prorated for eligible members — especially U.S. citizen children. This new proposal abandons that long-standing approach and instead forces families into an impossible choice: separation or homelessness.
“HUD’s own data acknowledges the rule will displace tens of thousands of families – including nearly 37,000 children, the majority of whom are U.S. citizens – while costing hundreds of millions of dollars and doing nothing to address the nation’s housing crisis. Instead, it punishes children, destabilizes communities, and guarantees less affordable housing for everyone because of its anticipated costs.
“This proposal raises serious legal and constitutional concerns and threatens to cause irreparable harm to families who have lawfully relied on existing housing protections for years. We are closely reviewing the policy and exploring all available legal avenues to keep families whole, together, and housed.
“No family should lose their home because of a member’s immigration status. We stand with the families, tenants, and communities who will be harmed by this unjust proposal and remain committed to fighting for safe, stable housing for all.”
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Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS), founded in 1900, assists survivors of domestic violence, unhoused families, elders, people with disabilities, households facing illegal evictions, low-wage workers, families with no source of income, and immigrants facing persecution. Annually, GBLS provides assistance to 12,000 families and individuals who would otherwise not be able to afford legal help. GBLS also provides legal counsel to dozens of community-based groups and organizations and conducts strategic impact advocacy to bring about positive systematic change throughout the region and state. For more information, please visit www.gbls.org.
The Legal Aid Society is a nonprofit law firm that exists for one simple yet powerful reason: to ensure that New Yorkers are not denied their right to equal justice because of poverty. For 150 years, we have protected, defended, and advocated for those who have struggled in silence for far too long. Every day, in every borough, The Legal Aid Society changes the lives of the people we serve and helps improve our communities. www.legalaidnyc.org
The National Housing Law Project’s mission is to advance housing justice for poor people and communities. We achieve this by strengthening and enforcing the rights of tenants and low-income homeowners, increasing housing opportunities for underserved communities, and preserving and expanding the nation’s supply of safe and affordable homes.
Founded in 1968, Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (MLRI) is a nonprofit poverty law and policy program that provides statewide advocacy and leadership in advancing laws, policies, and practices that secure economic, racial, and social justice for low-income people and communities. MLRI furthers its mission through impact litigation, policy advocacy, coalition building, community lawyering, and public information. In addition, MLRI serves as the poverty law support center for the Massachusetts civil legal aid delivery system and advocacy community. For more information, visit www.mlri.org.
The Massachusetts Union of Public Housing Tenants is a nonprofit run by tenants for tenants. Our mission is to build power and voice for tenants so that we may effectively improve public housing in Massachusetts. Founded by public housing residents in 1967 and incorporated in 1971, Mass Union is the oldest statewide public housing tenants’ organization in the nation. https://massunion.org
About LatinoJustice
LatinoJustice PRLDEF works to create a more just society by using and challenging the rule of law to secure transformative, equitable and accessible justice, by empowering our community and by fostering leadership through advocacy and education. For over 50 years, LatinoJustice PRLDEF has acted as an advocate against injustice throughout the country. To learn more about LatinoJustice, visit www.LatinoJustice.org