Trump Admin Uncovers How Housing Costs Skyrocketed: The Numbers Point to Biden's Immigration Policy
When the Biden administration allowed unprecedented numbers of immigrants to enter the United States, housing prices rose as an immediate and direct result.
The biennial “Worst Case Housing Needs” report, published by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, tracks issues facing low-income families who rent their homes.
That population was most impacted by the influx of foreigners who drove up housing demand and rental prices.
“Between 2021 and 2024, the foreign-born population of the United States increased by more than 6 million — the largest such increase over such a short period in American history,” the report noted.
“The foreign-born population now stands at more than 53 million individuals, making up the highest share of the American population in history,” the report added.
“This immigration-driven increase in households has contributed to a significant increase in housing demand, thus driving up housing prices.”
The agency even said that “in some markets, immigration has accounted for nearly all of the increase in housing demand in recent years.”
Even as economic growth has not sufficiently translated to higher wages for low-income families, which would make rent more affordable, the sudden rise in immigration drove “sustained high rental demand, which has continued to place upward pressure on rent prices.”
The connection between illegal immigration and skyrocketing housing costs is as clear as day. We are proud to be moving in the right direction. Still so much to do. https://t.co/n4VFHdfE4k
— JD Vance (@JDVance) December 4, 2025
Housing demand is inelastic. In other words, the supply of housing cannot quickly respond to rapidly rising demand, since building new units can sometimes take years.
That means “moderating demand may be a more effective policy option than very worthwhile efforts to increase supply.”
Even before the Biden administration, which saw the fastest two-year increase in the foreign-born population in American history between March 2022 and March 2024, the arrival of foreigners has contributed to higher housing costs.
Some 20 million foreigners have arrived in the United States since 2000.
“The growth in households attributable to non-citizens was 13 percent between 2019 and 2023, compared to 7 percent between 2015 and 2019,” the report continued.
“This further demonstrates that non-citizen households are playing an increasing role in the household growth that is straining the affordable housing supply.”
The agency also recommended against “demand-side housing subsidies,” which only exacerbate price increases by failing to address the root cause of low housing supply.
“This means that while those receiving housing assistance benefit from that assistance, low-income households who do not receive assistance may be harmed by the higher prices caused by the extra demand created by rental assistance,” the report said.
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