'American houses are for American people': Trump housing chief insists immigration crackdown will lower costs

EXCLUSIVE: Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner said the Trump administration is working to counteract the housing cost surges that he said resulted from Joe Biden's open border policies.

Speaking exclusively with Fox News Digital from the Great American State Fair on Thursday, Turner insisted President Donald Trump's team is pursuing policies to improve affordability, a key midterm issue, and bring down home price and rent cost spikes that correlated with the influx of illegal immigration under the previous administration.

Republicans have argued their agenda will bring down home prices and rents by cutting regulations, increasing housing supply and cracking down on illegal immigration.

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Housing affordability remains a challenge for many prospective buyers. (Zak Bennnett/Bloomberg/Getty Images)

"When we first came in with President Trump, we had open borders. We had tens of millions of illegals in our country," Turner said, arguing that increased housing demand from unauthorized immigration drove up costs for American citizens.

A recent Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas working paper reached a similar conclusion, estimating that every 1% increase in unauthorized immigrant workers was associated with a roughly 2.2% increase in home prices and a 1.4% increase in rents.

Turner said that beyond rolling back regulations, expanding mortgage credit and removing barriers to new construction, reducing illegal immigration is key to helping ease demand for housing.

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He also said the Trump administration's immigration crackdown is a key part of the president's broader effort to reduce costs for American families amid an ongoing affordability crisis.

"Here in America, we prioritize American people and American people only. American houses are for American people," Turner said.

Asked when Americans can expect to see lower housing costs, Turner argued the administration is already taking steps to make housing more affordable.

"I think there is a misperception that this is not a priority. It is of the utmost priority," Turner said.

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As evidence, Turner pointed to two executive orders Trump signed that together work to remove regulatory barriers to affordable housing construction, expand access to mortgage credit and increase housing supply.

Housing costs have remained elevated in many parts of the country, making affordability a key concern for homebuyers and renters. (Angus Mordant/Bloomberg/Getty Images)

The HUD secretary said the administration is also rolling back regulations and "bureaucratic red tape" put in place under the Biden administration to lower construction costs and spur more homebuilding.

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"That's what we're doing now, we are easing the regulatory environment, bringing the cost down, raising the supply so builders can build and homeowners can buy," he said, describing those efforts as key to making homeownership more affordable for American families.