The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced a sweeping new mandate that eliminates translation services and requires English as the sole language for every HUD program. This locks millions of people out of vital housing assistance, erecting new barriers that target the very families HUD is supposed to serve.

Nearly 25 million people in the United States are Limited English Proficient. Many of them are immigrants, racial minorities, and low-income households who already face serious obstacles to stable housing. By cutting off access to translated applications, notices, and program materials, HUD is denying these families the chance to secure or keep a roof over their heads. Courts have long held that denying language access is a form of national origin discrimination, yet HUD is moving forward with a rule that openly disregards civil rights protections.

The consequences will be devastating. Families will be unable to apply for housing because they cannot complete paperwork in English. Parents will miss deadlines for vital documents they cannot read. Elderly tenants will be unable to respond to eviction notices, forcing many from their homes. Children will be pulled into the role of translators for their parents, while entire communities suffer the consequences of housing instability. This policy is a direct attack on immigrant families and racial minorities who need HUD programs the most.

HUD’s mission is to guarantee equal access to housing. This mandate breaks that promise and undermines decades of civil rights protections. We cannot allow a policy that will evict families, increase homelessness, and deepen inequality to stand.

Tell HUD Secretary Scott Turner to rescind this racist English-only mandate, restore translation services in every HUD program, and guarantee that no family is stripped of housing rights because of the language they speak at home.