File Public Comments
Protect religious freedom in 3 steps:
UPDATE: The deadline to respond to the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s request for information was April 21, 2026.
The Trump Administration, through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, is attempting to undermine religious freedom by restricting HUD housing assistance to U.S. citizens and certain eligible noncitizens. This would fracture families and faith communities.
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What would this rule change?
The rule proposes three significant changes. It would require verification of citizenship or eligible immigration status for every household member regardless of age, removing the current exemption for individuals 62 and older. It would eliminate the “do not contend” provision, which currently allows a family member to opt out of asserting immigration status without losing assistance. And it would end prorated assistance as a long-term option for mixed-status families — families would have just 90 days, with a maximum 30-day extension, to submit documentation before losing assistance entirely.
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Who is affected?
HUD’s own figures estimate approximately 24,000 ineligible individuals currently living in roughly 20,000 mixed-status households receiving HUD assistance. However, that number reflects only the ineligible members. When the full households are counted — including eligible members who would also lose their homes — the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates that nearly 80,000 people would face eviction. Of those, nearly 37,000 are children, and nearly all of those children are U.S. citizens.
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Is there time to respond?
Yes, but the window is closing. The public comment period closes April 21, 2026. Comments can be submitted at regulations.gov, referencing Docket No. FR-6524-P-01.
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Why does this matter?
Housing instability directly threatens the conditions that make religious freedom possible. When families lose housing, they lose the stability necessary to participate in congregational life, civic life, and community. Faith communities depend on the presence, participation, and belonging of all their members. A rule that displaces families from their homes displaces them from their communities of faith. That is a religious freedom concern.
File your public comments in 3 simple steps:
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Step 1: Draft your comment
Please use your own voice to strengthen the impact of your submission.
Here is a fact sheet and some talking points you can use to help draft your comment. When drafting, be sure to include “Housing and Urban Development FR-6524-P-01” at the top.
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Step 2: Go to the website by April 21 where you can submit your comment.
You will submit your comment on a site connected to the Federal Register. You will have to submit your name, your email, and the name of your organization. Note that all comments are considered public and will be posted online once the agency has reviewed them.
Once there, you will follow the prompts to:
1. Copy and paste your comment into the blank comment field
2. Add your name and email [and be sure to click the box next to “Opt to receive email confirmation of submission and tracking number?” so you can get a confirmation]
3. Click on “organization” if you are submitting for your congregation, or click on “individual” if you are submitting on behalf of yourself. If you select “organization,” it will ask you to include “organization type” and “organization name.”
4. Click on the “I read and understand” button and hit “submit.” -
Step 3: Receive your confirmation email, and forward it to us!
After you submit your comment, you will receive a confirmation email if you opted-in to do so. That will assure you that your comments went through. We’d love to know how this process worked for you and what you submitted — please forward that email to Joy Pettigrew, BJC’s community partnership manager, at [email protected].
Congratulations! You did your part to protect religious freedom! Thank you for being part of this work.
Learn More
On April 15, clergy gathered for an online discussion as part of our clergy quarterly touchpoint, and there was a presentation with more details on the HUD proposal and how you can respond. You can watch a video of that part of the event, featuring Trudy Taylor Smith of the Children’s Defense Fund.
