Leftist Group that Blasted Trump Over DACA Gets Biggest Slice of $37 Mil HUD Grant

A leftist group that attacked President Trump for terminating an Obama program that protects hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants living in the U.S. is being rewarded with taxpayer dollars. The Washington D.C. nonprofit, National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA), will get the largest chunk—$999,962—of a $37 million grant awarded this week to fight housing discrimination. The cash is being distributed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), an agency long embroiled in a multitude of scandals and well known for waste and abuse.

The generous award comes on the heels of NFHA’s Trump bashing over a contentious policy known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) that shields nearly 800,000 illegal aliens under the age of 31 from deportation and lets them obtain work permits and drivers’ licenses. The overwhelming majority—548,000—are from Mexico, according to figures released by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in September. El Salvador (25,900), Guatemala (17,700) and Honduras (16,100) are the next three countries with the most DACA recipients, the government figures show. The biggest concentration of illegal aliens protected by DACA are in California (197,900) and Texas (113,000), though states such as Illinois (35,600), New York (32,900), Florida (27,000) and Arizona (25,500) also have significant numbers. Most came to the U.S. as children “through no fault of their own,” which is why former President Obama launched DACA through executive order in 2012. The bottom line is that DACA rewards people for breaking the law.

Predictably, when Trump dismantled DACA a few months ago open borders groups went ballistic. They fired off letters to Congress and trashed the commander-in-chief for returning to the rule of law. NFHA led the pack, releasing a statement from its president and CEO, Shanna L. Smith, saying “Donald Trump’s horrifying decision to terminate DACA represents one of the most destructive actions this president has taken to harm marginalized communities in this country. Smith’s rant continues: “DACA has provided hope for nearly 1 million young undocumented immigrants whose dreams of a better and successful future reflect the spirit and hope that has defined the United States of America. Their contributions to the American workforce and their courage serves as a model to the rest of us. The fair housing movement stands by the side of Dreamers who will be imperiled by the decision to end DACA.”

Illegal immigrants have “inalienable rights,” Smith asserts, comparing them to communities that suffer under residential segregation and discrimination. “The Fair Housing Act protects people from discrimination regardless of the status of their national origin, which may impact citizenship standards, and the Civil Rights Act of 1866 states that all people of the United States have an equal right to make and enforce contracts, including those to secure housing,” the NFHA chief further claims in the Trump lashing. “Fair housing advocates stand at the ready to protect the fair housing rights of ALL people in the United States and we urge Congress to take steps to pass legislation to protect Dreamers.” Smith also fired off a letter, signed by a coalition of other like-minded groups, to Congress calling Trump cruel for nixing DACA and accusing the commander-in-chief of repeatedly trying to divide the nation.

In light of this, it may seem baffling that a member of Trump’s cabinet, HUD Secretary Ben Carson, is rewarding NFHA with nearly one million taxpayer dollars to support its leftwing agenda. The $37 million are being divided among more than 150 groups nationwide that work to confront violations of the Fair Housing Act, according a HUD announcement issued this week. “Every person deserves a fair chance to live in a neighborhood free from discrimination,” Carson says in the agency release. “The funds announced today will allow our fair housing partners on the ground to combat housing discrimination and ensure every person has equal access to housing.” NFHA claims to be the “voice of fair housing.” It’s unclear why the group became embroiled in illegal immigration.