Proposal: Undocumented would not be allowed to live in public housing with citizen relatives

The Housing Authority of El Paso is keeping close watch on a proposal by the secretary of The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that would impact undocumented immigrants living with U.S. citizens or legal residents in public housing.

HUD Secretary Ben Carson is proposing a change that would keep any undocumented person out of public housing, even if that person lives with relatives who are in the country legally. Carson said U.S. citizens should have priority over undocumented people and claims there is a long list of U.S. citizens on a waiting list to get into public housing.

Gerald Cichon, CEO of the Housing Authority of El Paso, acknowledged to ABC-7 there are undocumented immigrants living in public housing.

Currently, an undocumented person can live with a U.S. citizen in public housing if the U.S. citizen is considered a head of household. Cichon said that is considered a mixed household.

If Carson’s proposal eventually becomes law, Cichon said mixed households would “have to make a choice about whether that person, who is (undocumented), would stay in the family.”

Cichon said if the undocumented person decides to stay within the household, then the Housing Authority would work with the family to help it seek “other housing opportunities.”

The families would be given 18 months to find another place to live. “It wouldn’t be an eviction,” Cichon said, “What we would do is issue anotice that they would no longer receive assistance and then a grace period being involved.”

ABC-7 spoke with Guadalupe Salcido, 71, who said she has lived with her husband, a U.S. citizen, in public housing for the past 13 years.

“There are many of us here where I live who do not have U.S. citizenship. We live well. We don’t bother anyone,” said Salcido, “I haven’t been able to get my citizenship because sometimes there is no money. You see, they ask for more and more documents.”