Across the United States, the housing crisis reached a tipping point during the Biden administration, hitting Hispanic families especially hard. For millions, homeownership isn’t just a financial milestone; it’s a cornerstone of the American Dream, representing stability, community, and upward mobility. Yet, for many Hispanic households, this dream became increasingly out of reach, as affordability issues worsened and home prices soared under the last administration.
At its core, the housing crisis is a supply crisis. There are simply not enough homes to meet the needs of our population. The previous administration made this situation much worse through the excessive public spending of its American Rescue Plan and its inaccurately named Inflation Reduction Act, burdensome regulations designed to advance a radical environmental and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) agenda, and open-border policies that permitted more than 10 million illegal migrants to enter the country. Together, these policies increased construction and compliance costs, constrained new housing development, and sharply increased demand without a corresponding increase in supply.
As a result, housing prices surged, rising more than 30 percent nationwide, and the price of the typical home went up to above $400,000. Inflation ballooned to nine percent, doubling mortgage rates and leaving countless families, especially Hispanics, locked out of homeownership and affordable rentals. The median age of first-time buyers reached an astonishing 40 years old in 2025, a dramatic increase from four years ago when the median age was 33.
Hispanic families are among the most cost-burdened in the country, with over 50 percent spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing. Income disparities compound these challenges, making it harder for Hispanic Americans to save for a down payment or qualify for a mortgage. In fact, more than 60 percent of Hispanics have reported delaying a major life milestone, including 25 percent of Hispanics who have postponed starting a family, as a result of housing costs. Inflationary spending and regulatory obstacles under the previous administration hit these communities hardest, shutting the door on both homeownership and stable rental options.
Complicating matters further, massive illegal migration sparked by the Biden administration’s open-border policies reduced the available housing supply, putting even more pressure on prices and making it nearly impossible for Hispanic families to compete in an overheated market. A recent report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas found that illegal immigration was responsible for approximately 30 percent of the growth in home prices and 20 percent of the increase in rental costs in the average U.S. metropolitan area from March 2021 to March 2024.
The Trump administration has moved quickly to implement America First policies to reverse this trend. By slashing unnecessary regulations and reducing red tape, the administration is cutting the “bureaucrat tax,” which adds about $100,000 in costs to homes in impact fees and procedural costs. The Working Families Tax Cuts put more money in the pockets of hardworking Americans, while making Opportunity Zones permanent channeled investment into underserved communities, including many Hispanic neighborhoods.
Additionally, expanding the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit delivered direct relief for those struggling most by increasing the supply of affordable homes and apartments. Perhaps most crucially, border closure ended the surge of illegal immigration, stabilizing housing demand and helping keep prices in check. These policies combined to moderate core inflation and mortgage rates, opening doors for Hispanic families once closed by bureaucratic barriers and runaway costs.
The difference is clear.
Where the previous administration’s policies inflated costs and deepened supply shortages, America First policies are restoring affordability and enabling Hispanic families to pursue the American Dream. Policies that grow the economy, reduce tax burdens, and increase housing supply mean more Hispanic families can buy a home, build wealth, and secure their futures.
America First leaders are helping Hispanic families overcome disproportionate burdens and achieve homeownership. America First policies aren’t just restoring hope; they’re delivering results, opening the door to a brighter future for millions of Hispanic Americans.
Alfonso Aguilar is the Director of Hispanic Engagement for the America First Policy Institute and former Chief of the U.S. Office of Citizenship.
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