Larson Announces Landmark Plan to Reinvest Trump ICE Slush Fund in Affordable Housing Solutions
Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) announced the Make Housing Affordable and Defend Democracy Act with Rep. Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) and 60 of their Democratic colleagues. Their plan would reinvest the $175 billion in federal funding Congressional Republicans approved in their budget for Donald Trump and Kristi Noem to target immigrant communities and instead use that funding to kickstart a 21st century housing boom across the country. It also includes Larson’s bipartisan Revitalizing Downtowns and Main Streets Act, a bill to incentivize the conversion of existing vacant and underutilized commercial properties into new housing.
“With construction costs on the rise, sky-high mortgage rates, and costly utility bills, it is becoming exceedingly difficult to build, own, or even save up to one day own a home,” said Larson. “President Trump ran on bringing costs down for working families, yet his administration has been focused on dismantling social safety nets and terrorizing immigrant communities. Our plan will rein in their abusive anti-immigrant agenda and finally invest in solving the housing crisis that is blocking families from owning a home or finding affordable rental options. Together, we can kickstart a nationwide housing boom and make homeownership a reality for more hard-working Americans and their families.”
“I’m introducing this bill because families across the country are being crushed by housing costs while Trump uses $175 billion to terrorize families with his own national police force,” said Gomez. “This bill flips the script. We’re taking back Trump’s anti-immigrant slush fund and investing it in real housing solutions that actually help people while putting a check on the unaccountable police force he built to go after our communities.”
The bill would make one of the largest housing investments proposed this Congress, lowering costs for renters, providing substantial support for first-time homebuyers, and incentivizing the conversion of vacant office buildings into affordable units. It pays for these investments by redirecting funding approved by Republicans in Congress for the Trump Administration’s anti-immigrant agenda, including billions for inhumane detention facilities and unaccountable Department of Homeland Security and ICE programs.
The Make Housing Affordable and Defend Democracy Act would:
Create the first-ever monthly Renter Tax Credit for individuals and families paying more than 30% of their income on rent.
Provide $25,000 or more for first time homebuyers and $50,000 or more in down-payment assistance for first-generation homebuyers.
Convert vacant office buildings into affordable housing through a 20–35% Affordable Housing Conversion Credit.
Launch a Starter Home Construction Credit targeted at first-time buyers.
Expand production of deeply affordable housing through a strengthened Low-Income Housing Tax Credit.
Full bill text is available HERE.
The legislation is endorsed by UnidosUS, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), CASA, A Way Home America, the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA), and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), representing millions of renters, immigrants, low-income families, and housing advocates nationwide.
In addition to Reps. Larson and Gomez, the Make Housing Affordable and Defend Democracy Act is cosponsored by: Reps. Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Becca Balint (VT-AL ), Nanette Barragan (CA-44), Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), André Carson (IN-07), Troy Carter (LA-02), Judy Chu (CA-28), Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr. (CA-31), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Danny Davis (IL07), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Jesus G. "Chuy" Garcia (IL-04), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Henry C. ("Hank") Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Robin L. Kelly (IL-02), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), George Latimer (NY-16), Summer L. Lee (PA-12), Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03), Sam Liccardo (CA-16), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Doris Matsui (CA-07), Jim McGovern (MA-02), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Robert Menendez (NJ-08), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Jerry Nadler (NY-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Scott Peters (CA-50), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Emily Randall (WA-06), Luz Rivas (CA-29), Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Linda Sanchez (CA-38), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Brad Sherman (CA-32), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Darren Soto (FL-09), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Dina Titus (NV-01), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Marc Veasey (TX-33), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).