above photo - Photo by Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Imagine! “you are a person living in the place you know as home; the United States of America. You are not a citizen, instead you are known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). You have broken no laws (of significant consequence) other than your parent(s) did not bring you here through the normal immigration process.” Some will profess saint-hood and claim the law is the law, without trying to understand the majority in the DACA population entered as infants.
When Donald Trump was declared the victor in the 2016 presidential election some signaled a warning bell (and not all were Trump haters) that he was hellbent on appointing cabinet members who would do the bidding for himself, his cronies and supporters regarding the agency’s they would administer. In other words unlike normal cabinet leaders it was not that important for you to have subject matter expertise. It was more important for you to do as you were told while high-jacking agencies that millions of American’s would need to engage in their day to day activity.
During the nearly three years of the Trump administration many have left after their malfeasance became too much for the administration to keep deflecting. Take the case of Dr. Ben Carson who was appointed to lead Housing Urban Administration (HUD). He rightfully earned the respect and admiration as a gifted surgeon. With respect to housing or public policy which impacts how HUD operates he knew ZERO. Some of Trump supporter’s snickered that he would be a good fit because as a child he grew up in HUD housing or the projects in Baltimore.
“I’m sure we have plenty of DACA recipients who have FHA mortgages,” Carson said. “I would simply say that I have instructed everyone to follow the laws of the United States with regard to DACA, with regard to anyone who is an immigrant or a potential immigrant to this country, and as long as you continue to follow the laws you will have my approval.”
Today, Carson sided with his boss engaging an updated policy to insure DACA recipients have difficulty in accessing public programs. The latest is to make it impossible for them to secure an FHA or U.S. backed mortgage. Again, while the move may appease some, you have to probe and ask the question what is the ulterior motive of withholding a popular program to gain homeownership?
In a response to HUD’s updated guideline or a legislative rebuttal, this afternoon the Financial Services Committee led by Representative Maxine Waters introduced H.R. 3154,
The Homeownership for DREAMers Act, legislation to clarify that Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients cannot be denied mortgage loans backed by FHA, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) solely on the basis of their DACA status.
Stay tuned.
Thomas Reports 