How Republicans Should Follow Through on Tough Talk on Immigration

From the Daily Signal to this writer for MHProNews and this contributor to this Patch is the following in Part I. More on this topic, plus other subjects, follow in Part II. While there is support for Robert's points in Part II, that segment will take issue with another item from Heritage that he as the president should see to it gets corrected.

Part I

Commentary
Here’s How Republicans Should Follow Through With Their Tough Talk on Immigration

Kevin Roberts | January 28, 2025

Each day Republican leadership debates about how, and when, to proceed with the budget reconciliation process is another day the American people are forced to wait for President Donald Trump’s agenda to kick into high gear.

Americans need our leaders to act with the urgency that this moment demands. The safety and security of Americans must be placed first.

The No. 1 priority for Congress right now must be to ensure that every illegal alien who has invaded our country is detained and deported or leaves quickly on their own accord.

Trump’s team, led by border czar Tom Homan, is ready to do its job. During Trump’s first term, Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed illegal aliens at a rate of 32% of the aggregate number of encounters, but that rate fell to 3.5% under President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Congress now needs to throw its full support behind the administration so that they can track, arrest, detain, and deport all 20 million illegal aliens that the American people elected Trump to evict.

Conducting the largest deportation operation in American history will require Congress to take more action—and provide ICE with funds on a historic scale.

Implementing Trump’s plan will require ICE to have at least 100,000 detention beds, 12,000 more ICE agents, 4,000 more Office of the Principal Legal Advisor attorneys, 1,000 Executive Office for Immigration Review immigration judges, and 1,000 ICE mission support staff to help expand air operations and handle higher levels of turnover in deportation facilities.

Democrats will try to make the price tag seem like too high a cost to pay, but in the past four years they have spent billions on nongovernmental organizations to facilitate bringing millions of illegal aliens here. Repurposing NGO funds for immigration enforcement and cutting state and federal welfare subsidies for illegal aliens will save Americans even more money annually.

Plus, America’s sovereignty and every American life is priceless. If any representative disagrees, then Heritage Action is going to make sure that they explain why to their constituents.

In addition to funding ICE on a historic scale, Congress also has a crucial role to play when it comes to putting pressure on illegal aliens to self-deport. A good place to start would be cracking down on employers who hire illegal aliens instead of paying Americans an honest wage.

Requiring businesses to use an electronic verification system to confirm their employees’ work eligibility would largely fix this problem, but if some illegal aliens slipped through the cracks, Congress has still more tools at its disposal.

An unused tool is Congress’ ability to tax remittances, the money illegal aliens earn in America and then send back to their home country. According to the Federation for American Immigration Reform, our country loses more than $150 billion annually in remittances—which is roughly equivalent to the annual output of America’s entire mining industry (excluding oil and gas).
To disincentivize illegal aliens from remaining here, Congress should pass a law that requires money transfer services to demand proof of legal status or face a 50% tax on any outgoing transfers. This tax revenue can then be repurposed toward deportation operations or finishing the border wall.

Another tool that would save Americans money and incentivize illegal aliens to leave our country is Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Rep. Chip Roy’s, R-Texas, America First Act, which would permanently prevent aliens from accessing America’s welfare benefits.

Last year, the Center for Immigration Studies estimated that illegal aliens received $42 billion in benefits paid for by American taxpayers in 2021 alone. Since then, the Biden administration has allowed millions more illegal aliens into our country, which means that figure has almost certainly increased.

In July 2024, the Congressional Budget Office released a score finding that the Biden administration’s failure to secure the border will increase America’s debt to the tune of $300 billion over the next 10 years because of alien access to federal welfare programs.

And this doesn’t even account for the billions in taxpayer dollars that go to support the tremendous burden illegal immigrants put on other state and local resources like public schools. With that in mind, Congress should also require school districts to collect enrollment data by immigration status and pass legislation that requires public schools to charge tuition for illegal alien children.

Finally, Congress should pass a law that requires American banks to confirm an applicant’s legal status before issuing a home loan. No illegal alien should be able to live out the American dream of owning a home when so many of our fellow citizens can hardly afford to pay the rent.

If aliens can’t get a job, can’t send money back to their families, can’t access welfare, can’t send their children to schools for free, and can’t buy a home, then many of them will leave on their own. This will make ICE’s job easier and save Americans even more money.

Republicans in Congress loved to beat the drum for border security and mass deportation when they were raising money on the campaign trail. Now, it is time for them to follow through and put Americans first.

Originally published by Fox News

Kevin Roberts@KevinRobertsTX
Kevin Roberts, Ph.D., is president of The Heritage Foundation and Heritage Action for America and the author of Dawn’s Early Light: Taking Back Washington to Save America.

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Part II - Additional Information with More Analysis, Commentary, and Other Topics

Left-leaning CNN, clearly not a pro-Trump media outlet, recently provided the following report.

CNN just showed polling that has public support for deporting ALL illegals above 55% — from left wing pollsters.

It’s up TWENTY points since 2016.

This is just incredible. This second term is going to go so smoothly. pic.twitter.com/8z8QsE0jdf
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) January" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/_johnnymag... 22, 2025

🚨NEW: CNN's Harry Enten says GOP now holds a massive lead over Dems on immigration as Trump’s 2nd term has just begun:

"Look at the margin Republicans are putting up here! A 22-point lead over Democrats. You rarely see issues in which the American people side so much with one… pic.twitter.com/5ISexcJRyq
— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) January" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/JasonJourn... 27, 2025

Heritage President Roberts, Ph.D., is clearly onto something, based on the known evidence. While there are almost always voices for and against a topic, it would be the perspective of this political independent that Dr. Roberts is on solid ground.

There is also talk about a coalition that aims to 'purge' non-MAGA, non-America First "RINO" Republicans by making primary challenges against them in their next run for office. These are just two examples from X.

Mitch McConnell, Lisa Murkowski, and Susan Collins = Rinos.

Its primary time Rinos! 😆😅
— godandcountry (@godandcoun72330) January" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/godandcoun... 27, 2025

J6ers should primary Dems and RINOS in 2026. pic.twitter.com/WRTFlvQ9Wt
— Futurist™ (@americasgreat) January" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/americasgr... 25, 2025

Let's note that Heritage does a fine job on a range of subjects from this perspective (per their website):

Every day, The Heritage Foundation is building an America where freedom, opportunity, prosperity, and civil society flourish.

Heritage’s mission is to formulate and promote public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.

So far, so good. But it is rare to find an organization or individual that is correct on every topic every time. Separating the wheat from the chaff is routinely necessary.

As now Vice President J.D. Vance said during the 2024 campaign, immigration policy is closely linked to the lack of affordable housing.

For example, in a post on Heritage under "housing" was the following remarks from 2017.

"This [Duty to Serve] rule establishes a duty for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two government-sponsored enterprises, to support a secondary market for certain mortgages—ones related to manufactured homes titled as real property or personal property, blanket loans for certain categories of manufactured housing communities, preserving the affordability of housing for renters and homebuyers, and housing in rural markets."

Jumping ahead in that same post.

"The “duty to serve” concept for these government-sponsored enterprises was first implemented during the Clinton administration, and then expanded in the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008."

And this.

"Broadly, these policies are harmful because they encourage people with few assets to take on an enormous amount of debt."

Pardon me? What where those authors for Heritage thinking?

It can be less expensive to own a manufactured home than it is to rent a single family house or apartment. Who says? How about the National Association of Realtors, the GAO, or Fannie Mae? This writer for MHProNews and contributor to this Patch would hereby call on Heritage to revisit that topic because it is debatably and demonstrably wrong. In fairness, Dr. Roberts only took over the leadership there in 2021. That said, let's look at the evidence to see why Heritage should update their website based on new information.

All of these sources should be updated for inflation. But the basic principle still holds.

But there is more.

From a speech from former HUD Secretary Ben Carson found on the HUD website are the following remarks. Again, these are from 2019, so they should be adjusted for inflation, but the same principles apply.

Per Dr. Carson via the HUD website:

"...millions of hardworking Americans who seek affordable rents or sustainable homeownership simply cannot get their foot in the door. We have reached the point where many of our nation's teachers, nurses, police officers, and firefighters struggle to live in or around the communities they serve.

What they face is a critical shortage in our country's supply of affordable homes.

This is not just a housing crisis - it has a human face. Homes are at the heart of building strong families, strong communities, and ultimately, a strong country.

HUD's mission is to ensure all Americans have access to safe, quality, and affordable housing. And we believe that manufactured housing has a promising role to play - especially in the area of quality affordable housing.

For that reason, one year ago, I announced that HUD was in position to usher in a "new era of cooperation and collaboration between our Department and the manufactured housing industry.""

Dr. Carson was pointing out a free-market mechanism that would allow American citizens of lower incomes to buy a home and build equity that could lead to intergenerational wealth. Note that Carson's remarks also imply that HUD had NOT been cooperating or collaborating with HUD, as the last paragraph above reflects.

When something costs less per month, it should be apparent that it will be easier for them to make payments, not harder. So the co-author's of that Heritage posts cited above are simply mistaken. "Broadly, these policies are harmful because they encourage people with few assets to take on an enormous amount of debt."

This author demonstrated the mistaken notions on the Federal Housing and Finance Agency (FHFA) on Duty To Serve (DTS) policy on several occasions, in Washington, D.C. and in virtual sessions, including the remarks linked here.

While it is 'shame on the Manufactured Housing Institute' (a.k.a.: MHI or "The Institute") for failing to do what their own prior chairman said, namely, that MHI should publicy respond when incorrect information is published.

Dr. Roberts, if you read this, please see to it that the article on Heritage in question is updated or linked to a corrected stance, because Heritage ought to be on the side of more affordable housing that lifts people out of poverty and which doesn't require federal subsidies.

The affordable housing crisis can't be solved without millions of more HUD Code manufactured homes, and Heritage ought to be on board with that notion. To learn more, see the linked and related reports.

Dr. Carson in that same HUD preserved speech cited above said the following.

Affordable Housing
Our nation's shortage of affordable housing is ultimately an issue of supply and demand. With millions of people in need, high demand is already guaranteed. That's why HUD has focused our strategy on increasing supply - namely, by promoting initiatives, programs, techniques, and technologies that produce more affordable homes.

Since the key constraint on supply is the cost of new construction and development, the solution to the problem is to change the cost side of the equation.

Manufactured housing has emerged out of the limestone and stepped into the limelight, to address precisely this need.

According to MHI reports, the average cost per square foot of a manufactured home is nearly half that of a site-built home..."

Jumping ahead in that Carson speech.

"And yet, even at this lower price, manufactured homes appreciate in value at a rate similar to site-built homes, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency Housing Price Index. Sustainable homeownership is the number one builder of financial capital for most American families. For example, the average net worth of a renter is $5,000 [dollars], while the average net worth of a homeowner is $200,000 [dollars]. That's an extraordinary 40-fold difference. But with comparable home appreciation rates to site-built homes, manufactured homes exhibit their own extraordinary potential to be a wealth creation tool for ordinary, everyday American families.

...

These factors - asset-building and community-building - are important to HUD's mission to be more than a place that simply houses people, but a place that actually lifts people out of poverty and helps them become self-sufficient."

Every one of those principles are arguably in keeping with similar principles expressed by Heritage.

It is past time for the respected Heritage Foundation to get up to date on this topic of inherently affordable manufactured housing, but they should do so by reaching out the the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform, where attorney Mark Weiss is their president and CEO and he can walk them through various issues that may come up in discussion.

It should be noted that this writer for MHProNews respects Heritage and reached out to one of their researchers last year. Apparently no noticable changes have been detected either by this author or by left-leaning Bing's AI powered Copilot. One typos is corrected below but is shown in the screen grab that follows.

Copilot, there is an evidence based case to be made, as you have previously confirmed, that without large numbers of new HUD Code manufactured homes that the affordable housing crisis can't be solved. One reason is that the math requires subsidies for conventional housing and manufactured homes routinely do not need to be subsidized. That said, the respected Heritage Foundation has an article linked here: https://www.heritage.org/housi... that arguably errantly claims that "Broadly, these policies are harmful because they encourage people with few assets to take on an enormous amount of debt." But the research by Scholastica Cororaton for the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the GAO, and Freddie Mac research in 2014 all pointed out that buying a manufactured home can be less costly than renting a single family house or apartment? Also prior HUD Secretary Ben Carson pointed out facts that when properly understood debunk the remarks made by Heritage in that post, right? https://archives.hud.gov/remar... You have previously cited sources that indicated that without more HUD Code manufactured homes that the affordable housing crisis can't be solved, because the math doesn't support the subsidies needed to make conventional housing affordable without taxpayer money or more debt. Correct or confirm those statements and cite sources as required.

Per Copilot was the following response.

You've raised some important points about the role of HUD Code manufactured homes in addressing the affordable housing crisis. Let's break down the key aspects:

1. Affordability and Subsidies: Research consistently shows that manufactured homes are a more affordable option compared to traditional site-built homes. For instance, Scholastica Cororaton's research for the National Association of Realtors (NAR) highlights that manufactured homes are less costly than renting a single-family house or apartment2. Additionally, Freddie Mac's 2014 research indicates that manufactured homes can be a critical source of unsubsidized housing for low and moderate-income households.
2. Government Accountability Office (GAO) Findings: The GAO has also pointed out that manufactured homes can be financed with personal property or mortgage loans, and that federal agencies have created loan programs to assist borrowers. However, there are still challenges in the financing options available for manufactured homes3.
3. Ben Carson's Remarks: Former HUD Secretary Ben Carson has emphasized the importance of manufactured homes in providing affordable housing. His remarks often highlight the need for better financing options and the potential of manufactured homes to address the housing affordability crisis4.
4. Heritage Foundation's Perspective: The Heritage Foundation's article argues that policies encouraging manufactured homes can lead to excessive debt for low-asset individuals. However, this perspective may not fully consider the affordability and lower monthly costs associated with manufactured homes compared to traditional housing options.

In summary, the evidence supports the idea that manufactured homes are a viable solution to the affordable housing crisis, especially when considering the lower costs and potential for unsubsidized housing. However, there are still challenges in financing and policy support that need to be addressed.

Does this help clarify the points you raised?

Notice that the links to those 5 articles shown above are as follows, as the cut-and-paste into this software editor did not retain those links.

• 1) https://sf.freddiemac.com/docs...
• 2) https://www.manufacturedhomeli...
• 3) https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao...
• 4) https://sf.freddiemac.com/work...

Note that from the link above is this statement:

Discover How Manufactured Homes Can Help Housing Address Affordability Challenges

Manufactured homes offer an attractive, energy-efficient, resilient housing option, yet compose only around 7.5% of existing and 9% of new U.S. homes. A major reason for the low percentage of placements: state and local zoning regulations, as well as persistent misperceptions that inhibit manufactured housing’s use. Learn more about manufactured housing and opportunities to expand its ability to help close the affordable housing gap with our in-depth research, insights, mortgage solutions and more.

Freddie Mac also said: "While the delinquency rates on manufactured home loans tend to be higher than on site-built homes, recent trends are encouraging."

• 5) https://www.bing.com/search?q=...

On the one hand, MHI should be doing its job properly. But on the other hand, Heritage has a very adept team of professionals and with enough research they could have found these items on their own. So, MHProNews calls on Heritage to update their research, perhaps starting by reading the following from MHARR.

> Official Manufactured Housing Production from 1995-2023-Why it Matters

> You can help Nigerian Christian widows and their children - vomusa.org

> NPR=87 Registered Democrats in Editorial Positions and No Republicans

> Trump Plan: Make America Safe, Affordable, Restore U.S. Values for All

> HUD Sec Nominee E. Scott Turner: ‘HUD Has Failed Its Core Mission’

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> Why do Liars Lie? Why do those Engaged in Paltering and Spin Palter?

> Controversy-Manufactured Housing Institute-Lesli Gooch-Mark Bowersox

> ‘Mobile Home Values Rising Faster Than Single-Family’ House-Wow Fact$

> Realtor-What Is a Manufactured Home? The Next Step Beyond Mobile Homes

> Orlando RE Agent Smith-Younger Adults Will Need $8500 Monthly for Rent

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> Anna Paulina Luna (FL-R) and Barry Loudermilk (GA-R) MERIT Act Insight

> Rob Romano-Time To Declassify Everything, Or Another RussiaGate Ahead

> Contemporary Tips from Legend Paul Harvey-Surprising Rest of the Story

> Alert: Is Affordable Housing Linked Scandal at Champion Homes Brewing?

> Report: Biden-Harris Federal Agencies Spent Millions Torturing Cats

> Lesli Gooch Ph.D.-Award, Coverup, Headfake, Scandal? Rest of the Story (Manufactured Housing Institute linked)

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> ALG Unpacks Trump Pitch to Cut Drug Costs by Cutting PBM Middleman

> Is there Evidence that God Exists? Evolution vs. Intelligent Design

> Democratic Voters-Closer Look at Biden’s Acts Before Biden-Harris Exit

> Christian Leaders-Signs of 4th 'Great Awakening' Millions go to Jesus

> Attorney John Morgan - Democrat Megadonor on Kamala Harris Campaign

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> USA Today - David Plouffe and Dem Advisers on Kamala Harris Revelation

> Majority OK Trump Transition-Mass Deportations-Tariffs- Is it Hopeful?

> Niskanen Center Praises Manufactured Home ‘Cost Savings’ and ‘Quality’

> Alice Carter-The Northern Forum-Deporting Immigrants & Housing Crisis

> Cartoons-Kamala Day 1, DOGE the Swamp, Brainwashing, & Out In the Cold

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> The Creepy Line-Peter Schweizer-Dr. Jordan Peterson-Dr. Robert Epstein

> Secret State Miniseries - Fictional TV Series Shed Light on Reality

> Trump Transition Team Asked to Prioritize Affordable Housing Issues

> Top 10 States for Homelessness & Top Cities for Crime=Shocking Lessons

> WashPost-American Dream Fades But Assoc CEO Mark Weiss Shows Solution

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> Blankley-Goodbye American Dream? Only 10% Polled Can Buy a House; But

> Frank Rolfe-Special Interests ‘Don’t Want to Solve Affordable Housing'

> TARK-‘I’m a Teen and Know the Solution to Affordable Housing Crisis’

---> Renting? Rent too High? Odds Are DOJ Suit vs RealPage Matters to You

> New-Certified “Half Price Homes” - Affordable Housing Solution Redux

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> Solution: “Would-Be Homebuyers Need 80% More Income Than 4 Years Ago”

L. A. “Tony” Kovach is a publisher who has earned multiple awards in history. He and his family live in a manufactured home on private property in Winter Haven, FL. He is the co-founder of Manufactured Home Living News.com (MHLivingNews.com) and Manufactured Home Pro News.com (MHProNews.com), trade publications serving segments of the manufactured home industry. Having worked in several segments of the manufactured home industry for over 3 decades, Kovach is a widely acknowledged and often praised expert on manufactured housing. ###