Vance points out immigration as a cause of housing crisis

Last updated on November 17th, 2025 at 10:27 am

Vice President JD Vance has blamed the surge in illegal immigration under the Biden administration for exacerbating the U.S. housing crisis, arguing that it has driven up prices and made homeownership unattainable for many Americans. Speaking on a recent podcast, Vance highlighted how an influx of immigrants has competed for limited housing stock, compounding a chronic shortage of new construction. Vance pointed to data showing an average of 2.4 million immigrants entering the country annually from 2021 to 2024, with about 60% arriving illegally, according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office and Goldman Sachs.

“A lot of young people are saying housing is way too expensive. Why is that? Because we flooded the country with 30 million illegal immigrants,” Vance said, adding that these newcomers are “taking houses that ought by right go to American citizens” amid insufficient building. He contrasted the situation under Biden, where the price of a new home “literally doubled in four years” and rose 100%, with the Trump era, when housing and rent prices increased only 1% to 2%—in line with normal inflation. Vance criticized regulatory hurdles in blue states for stifling construction, noting that Republican-led states are building more homes despite the national shortfall.

To address the crisis, Vance called for building about 5 million new homes nationwide. “One of the biggest challenges that we have in the housing market… is that in the blue states, you’re not building enough houses,” he remarked, while advocating for technological aids like robotics to boost efficiency without displacing workers, potentially leading to higher wages and faster production.

The comments come as the Trump administration moves to seal the U.S.-Mexico border and accelerate deportations following the record immigration levels under Biden. Vance’s remarks underscore ongoing Republican efforts to tie border security directly to economic relief for American families struggling with affordability.