While the government remains shut down because Democrats demand free healthcare for illegal immigrants, President Trump has ordered a sweeping audit of federal programs to ensure that other taxpayer-funded benefits are not being distributed to illegal aliens.
The order encompasses at least 28 major programs across multiple federal agencies. Housing audits include the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program and public housing.
The Department of Health and Human Services is reviewing 13 programs, including Head Start, Community Health Centers, Medicaid, and the Title X Family Planning Program, as well as a range of behavioral health and substance abuse grants.
Nutrition and welfare initiatives such as SNAP (food stamps) and TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) are also included in the audit.
In addition, the Department of Labor has been directed to verify immigration status within workforce programs such as WIOA, senior and youth job training, and migrant and seasonal worker initiatives.
The Department of Education will apply enhanced verification to Pell Grants, student loans, and career and technical education programs.
Together, these reviews represent one of the most comprehensive federal efforts to ensure that public benefits are reserved for American citizens and legal residents.
HUD Secretary Scott Turner has ordered a nationwide audit of public housing authorities, requiring them to verify the citizenship or legal immigration status of all Section 8 recipients within 30 days of receiving HUD’s notice.
The directive, issued on August 31, 2025, stems from President Trump’s February 19, 2025, Executive Order 14218, “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders.”
Under the order, authorities must provide proof of citizenship or eligible immigration status, along with recipients’ names, addresses, and unit information. Failure to comply could trigger a review of HUD funding or program eligibility.
Federal law has barred illegal aliens from receiving Section 8 assistance since 1980, but Turner said the audit aims to ensure proper enforcement and prevent applicants from leaving citizenship fields blank.
He also signaled that new rules may address “mixed-status” households containing both citizens and illegal aliens. A similar effort was made during the first Trump administration in 2019 but was later reversed by the Biden administration in 2021.
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