SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — Two California congressmen have introduced legislation to ensure that Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) beneficiaries, or “Dreamers,” are eligible for Federal Housing Administration (FHA) home loans.
California Democrats Juan Vargas and Pete Aguilar say that due to the lack of clarity surrounding DACA recipients’ eligibility under the Trump administration, lenders held off on providing loans to these individuals.
They maintain the Homeownership for Dreamers Act will help clear up eligibility for certain mortgages backed by the federal government, ensuring that loan eligibility is not predicated on the status of the DACA recipient if all other eligibility criteria are met.
“I introduced this bill last Congress when the prior administration’s Department of Housing and Urban Development tried jeopardizing government-backed loan eligibility for Dreamers,” said Vargas. “I am reintroducing the Homeownership for Dreamers Act to ensure that this cannot happen under a future administration.
Vargas says “Dreamers” deserve the same access to opportunities offered to other Americans.
“While DACA recipients are once again able to access these loans, a future administration or FHA leadership could attempt to bar such access if we don’t pass legislation that will clarify their eligibility,” he said.
Last month, FHA put out a statement asserting that DACA recipients would be eligible to apply for FHA-backed mortgages effective January 19, 2021.