New HUD rule would hurt immigrant families, New York Democrats say

NEW YORK (AP) - Democratic members of Congress from New York are calling on federal housing officials to withdraw plans for a new rule that could kick tens of thousands of immigrants out of subsidized housing.

The Congress members said in a letter to federal Housing Secretary Ben Carson that the rule proposed Friday would "needlessly inflict hardship" on thousands of families.

Under current rules, families that include some members who are in the United States legally and some who are not can qualify for federally subsidized housing. The subsidy is prorated to cover only the legal residents.

Under the proposed rule, only families in which every member is a citizen or legal resident would qualify.

Representatives of the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development did not immediately return an email seeking comment.