Stephen Miller said New York City’s housing costs are being driven higher by the number of foreign-born residents living in rent-controlled units, arguing that large-scale deportations and reduced migration are necessary to address the issue.
He also said that deregulation and tax cuts, paired with reduced migration, would help lower housing costs for U.S. citizens.
Miller pointed to New York City data in making his case.
“Percent of the population of rent controlled housing in New York City are foreign born. Think about that. In in one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, 40% of rent controlled properties are being lived in by people who weren’t even born in the country,” he said.
He characterized the current system as one that benefits non-citizens at the expense of native-born residents.
“What kind of system is this, we bring in people from foreign countries, and then we pay to lower the cost of their housing, while people who are born here have to pay higher prices,” Miller said.
Miller connected the issue to the broader immigration agenda under President Trump.
“So when President Trump is reducing that migration, that is what’s going to ultimately, along with all these other steps, deregulation, historic tax cuts, going to bring down the cost of housing,” he said.
The comments come as housing affordability continues to be a central policy issue in major metropolitan areas.
Miller framed immigration levels as a primary factor influencing supply and demand in rent-controlled units, while pointing to economic policies such as deregulation and tax reductions as additional steps he said would ease costs for U.S. citizens.
