Trump Secretary Scott Turner Called Out Over Policies That Leave Kids Homeless

Added: 2026-06-02

[00:00:00]Mr. Espion.

[00:00:02]>> Thank you, uh Chairman Womack and Ranking Member Clyburn.

[00:00:06]Thank you, Mr. Secretary, for being here today.

[00:00:09]Mr. Secretary, uh would you say that part of your mission at HUD uh is to keep families together by keeping a roof over their head?

[00:00:22]>> So, I would say part of our mission at HUD is to uh provide affordable, safe, and sustainable housing and to help more American people achieve the American dream.

[00:00:33]>> Do you think that it that it is a good thing that it is a fundamental American value to keep families together under one roof?

[00:00:45]>> Yes, I believe that family formation is very important. I believe that having uh a strong family makes stronger communities, and strong communities make a stronger state, and so on and so forth.

[00:00:56]>> So, when a family is the uh split or for whatever reason, a natural disaster, for issues within the family structure, uh it could very well be that that family is weakened.

[00:01:11]Is Am I correct in saying that?

[00:01:13]>> Well, I wouldn't say that that family is weak. I came from >> Weakened, weakened.

[00:01:17]>> a weakened. I came from a broken home, a broken family, >> Okay.

[00:01:21]>> because of decisions, you know, that were made within the family.

[00:01:25]>> Okay.

[00:01:25]>> Uh it is my goal and desire, you know, that families can stay together, American families can stay together uh because I believe that's best uh for the children, but you also have to make good decisions within the family.

[00:01:38]>> Correct.

[00:01:38]>> keep that family together, and and every family doesn't make good decisions, and I understand that.

[00:01:43]>> But so, you you do agree that a a family that's together under the same roof uh is a living under a good model that that could help uh that family move forward and in fact, part of your mission is to make sure that people have access to affordable housing and live under the same roof.

[00:02:05]>> Well, part of our mission is to make sure that the American people, uh people that are here in America legally have access to affordable, safe, and sustainable housing.

[00:02:15]>> Well, on on February, HUD released a proposed rule that would alter the reading of the Housing and Community Development Act and essentially force mixed-status families to choose between access to rental homes, rental assistance, and staying together as a family. In fact, if a family has a mother who's a US citizen, a dad who is a legal permanent resident or undocumented, and three children that are also US-born citizens, uh American citizens, you're saying that this family could very well uh be split >> Mhm.

[00:02:59]>> and be divided and and not have a roof over their head.

[00:03:03]What happens to these US-born children that are no longer able to stay under one of your uh housing development or homes?

[00:03:12]>> Well, sir, you know in section 214 of the Housing and Community Development Act that you just alluded to, it says that the sec- secretary shall not provide assistance to those that are here illegally or they're not eligible tenants.

[00:03:23]>> Well, these are US-born children.

[00:03:25]>> during this time, you know, you have to verify that you are an American citizen or an eligible tenant.

[00:03:31]>> are US-born children and the mother is a US-born or an American citizen. What happens to a child if a family is split or uh they're thrown out of a home because of their status of their dad.

[00:03:46]What happens to that US-born child?

[00:03:48]>> Well, it's almost you think what I say, you know, families have to make good decisions within the family.

[00:03:53]>> Do you think that that child has a right to have a roof over their head?

[00:03:56]>> making a decision that impacts your family negatively, then that's a decision that the family made, not something that the government made.

[00:04:03]>> The child should pay for this uh circumstance that there is one member of the family that is undocumented, yet the mother is a US citizen, and they are as well. Do you think that child has every right and privilege that is offered by the US Constitution?

[00:04:21]>> Sir, I'm the Secretary of HUD.

[00:04:23]And my job is to enforce and follow the law.

[00:04:26]If a family is breaking the law and making a decision to do so, then everybody in that family suffers. It's unfortunate, but it's the law.

[00:04:33]>> my time. I'll reclaim my time. Mr. Chairman, clearly uh the Secretary is implementing a rule that is splitting families up, including US-born children.

[00:04:47]>> Mr. Chairman, I'm not splitting families.

[00:04:49]>> I claim my time. I am not surprised because I've seen US-born children deported as well.

[00:04:55]>> decision to game the system, and that's unfortunate, but it's the law.

[00:05:00]>> I ask the Secretary that if, in fact, he is one that supports family values and keeping families together, that he revise this rule and do as such. I yield back.